Newly appointed Deputy Defense Minister Lt. Gen. Muhammad Herindra talked with The Jakarta Post’s Dicky Christanto recently on topics surrounding that grand theme, on how Indonesia should respond to the current challenge, where we stand right now and what challenges lie ahead.

Herindra shares the military background of Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, as both hail from the Army’s Special Forces (Kopassus). Both are former Kopassus generals. Before being appointed as deputy defense minister, Herindra was the Indonesian Military’s chief of general staff.

Below are excerpts from the interview.

What is the Defense Ministry’s role for the country’s grand defense strategy?

In our government structure, the Defense Ministry plays a role as defense strategy developer, while the Indonesia Military headquarters play a supervisory role and all three military branches are end users.

Where are we right now in our Minimum Essential Force strategy launched a few years ago as a benchmark for our military defense posture?

The ministry takes a stronger stance right now. In our perspective, the initial Minimum Essential Forces stance is becoming irrelevant as the country’s defense posture. We must equip ourselves with the strongest posture possible by focusing on building our defense posture and all potential support systems that would allow us to tackle potential threats and gain maximum leverage in all efforts meant to safeguard our country’s sovereignty and interests. There is an old proverb in Latin that goes “Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum”, which says we must be ready for war to achieve peace.

Based on that concept, we are now developing the “Rational Essential Forces” principle for our defense structure. The challenge is still there, as we are now also still in the middle of our fight against COVID-19, and to be able to fund the fight against the virus, the government needs to cut the budgets of all ministries and state agencies.

Our 2021 budget is Rp 137. 295 trillion (around U$9.8 billion) or around 0,78 percent of GDP. Based on that figure, we are now revising our needs for defense military equipment and focusing on building and maximizing the use of our existing sources.

What are the country’s main potential threats according to the ministry?

The current global situation has become really unpredictable. So far, there is no one single country whose power could single-handedly deter any potential threats. By looking at this phenomenon, it is better for us to prepare our force to face any kind of potential invasion, military or non-military. Secondly, the separatist movement remains a potential threat. Following that, a growing threat has been detected from groups opposed to the national ideology of Pancasila. After that, we face unseen enemies like natural disasters, which are likely followed by famine.

What do we have in store to tackle those threats?

We have been aggressively developing our diplomatic defense strategy in close cooperation with our friends at the Foreign Ministry, so that we could prevent any potential threat. Pak Prabowo has been among the eager campaigners for that effort. He has managed to create and maintain excellent communication with our defense counterparts in that matter.

We have also developed our Nuclear, Biology and Physics (NUBIKA) division with the sole purpose to be able to tackle any potential threats coming from that direction. Furthermore, Pak Prabowo has ordered the Defense University to open an undergraduate program that would prepare homegrown NUBIKA experts for that duty.

As for our contribution to tackling natural disasters, we are right now developing a national logistic reserve program dubbed “Strategic Logistic Reserve for National Defense”. We are focusing on building cassava farming as an alternative food source, developing a medical materials industry and building a renewable energy industry.

At the same time, we are now developing the “reserve component” program, which allows us to invite young people aged 18 to 35 to participate in military training. We intend to build 100 reserve battalions, with one battalion comprising 700-1,000 personnel. This personnel will be deployed when necessary.

There has been criticism directed at the reserve component program, with some saying it would only create another “paramilitary group” that, learning from the history of PAM Swakarsa, could in the end pose a threat to the people and also the government. What do you say about that?

It will be a different game right now. The reserve component personnel will be strictly supervised and monitored by layered officials and agencies. Any problem that might occur in their duties will be met with firm sanctions and punishments. For example, if some actor commits a criminal act, they will be dealing with the police.

Are there any specific duties of the minister?

There are no specific duties that have been asked of me. I know and am familiar with Pak Prabowo’s commitment and working style, and therefore I have enough confidence that we will be able to do our best going forward.

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