Indonesian House Speaker Dr. (H.C.) Puan Maharani delivers virtual scientific speech in a Public Lecture at the Indonesian Defense University, Bogor, West Java, Monday (26/10/2020). Photo: Geraldi/Man

Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives Dr. (H.C.) Puan Maharani conveyed the House’s support of the 21st century total people’s defense system (Sishankamrata). Maharani stated that the House’s support would be carried out through performance of the parliamentary legislative, budgeting, oversight, and parliamentary diplomacy.

“To maintain the unity and to protect the nation and the territorial integrity of Indonesia, we need a strong and reliable total defense system,” said Maharani in her virtual public lecture for the Indonesian Defense University on Monday (26/10/2020).

According to Maharani, physical and non-physical challenges that we face in the 21st century, added with military and non-military threats, on a broader spectrum could pose a threat to the people or even the state. Military threats in the dynamics of the global strategic environment include the security in Asia Pacific, South China Sea, the US-China rivalry, competition for the modernization of military forces, and many more.

As for the non-military threats, they include the COVID-19 pandemic, terrorism, the development of Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE), cybercrime, natural disasters, food security, and energy. Through its legislative function, the House supports the national defense by formulating and passing Law No. 5/2018 on the Amendment of Law No. 15/2003 on the Stipulation of Government Regulation in lieu of Law No. 1/2002 on Eradication of Criminal Acts of Terrorism.

“This Law also regulates the involvement of the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI) in handling terrorism through military operation other than war (MOOTW) in collaboration with the Police. It also reflects the total people’s defense system in the form of civil-military integration in combating terrorism,” added Maharani in her lecture. The event was attended by more than 1,000 participants consisting of lecturers and students of the undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate schools, among whom 400 were present at the Indonesian Defense University Auditorium.

The Indonesian House also formulated Law No. 23/2019 on the Management of National Resources for State Defense. The Law is intended as a legal instrument for any endeavor related to state defense, supporting component management, establishment of reserve components, and management of mobilization and demobilization of state defense. “This Law is a joint architecture of the Indonesian House and the Government developed as an early preparation system to better equip the National Resources in facing present challenges and threats, both military and non-military,” she said.

Through its budgeting function, Maharani said that the Indonesian House paid careful attention to fulfill the Minimum Essential Force (MEF), which aimed to modernize the defense system and increase its effectiveness in carrying out military duties and peace missions. Maharani added that the national defense budget has been regularly increased. In 2016, for instance, it was budgeted for 98.2 trillion rupiah (US$ 6.7 billion), compared to 118 trillion (US$ 8.05 billion) in 2020, and 137 trillion rupiah (US$ 9.3 billion) in 2021.

The Indonesian House is also committed to meeting the Indonesian Army Hospital’s needs for related equipment and infrastructure, including the availability of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), specialist doctors, and medicines for domestic use. “The Indonesian House has injected an extra 8,067 trillion rupiah (US$ 550 million) into the COVID-19 response fund from the Budget Division of the State National Treasury (BA BUN). The budget is allocated for the needs of health equipment, materials, and activities of field hospitals,” said the Central Java V electoral district legislator.

For further preparedness to handle the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indonesian House has approved a budget allocation of 300 billion rupiah (US$ 20.5 million) for the Ministry of Defense in 2021 to open four undergraduate new faculties at the Indonesian Defense University. The four faculties include the Faculties of Engineering, Medicine, Informatics, and Natural Sciences.

In performing its oversight function, the Indonesian House provides strategic input in various policies related to defense regarding the South China Sea issue, COVID-19 mitigation strategies, defense equipment modernization, and sophistication of the defense industry. Through parliamentary diplomacy, the Indonesian House supports the strengthening of cooperation between TNI and the military of other countries, especially in military operation exercise and knowledge transfer, among others.

“The Indonesian House also supports the series of defense diplomacy carried out by Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto in promoting international defense cooperation to support the advancement of defense equipment. It also fully supports the active role of TNI, which consistently sends Garuda Contingent troops to UN peacekeeping missions as part of the state’s commitment to participate in creating world peace,” she concluded.