The Jakarta Post
Despite defense being the largest post in the annual state budget, the government has fallen behind its targets in modernizing weaponry systems due to mounting amounts spent on personnel and maintenance of older equipment. At the end of the second phase of its 15-year-old weaponry modernization program, the Minimum Essential Force (MEF), the government has only reached 62.8 percent of implementation, far behind the targeted 72 percent, making it a challenge to complete the program as scheduled in 2024. Despite the surge in budget allocation, data obtained by The Jakarta Post show a downward trend in the ministry’s allocation for Indonesian Military (TNI) weaponry system modernization between 2015 and 2020 from 18 percent of the total defense budget to 9 percent. The 2020 defense budget will total Rp 127 trillion, up 16 percent from Rp 109 trillion this year. Compared ...