The Three Candidates For Presidential Candidates Are Expected To Explore National Defense Issues By In-depth

JAKARTA - Intelligence, defense and security analyst Ngasiman Djoyonegoro hopes that the three presidential and vice-presidential candidates can explore national defense and security issues more deeply, not only providing explanations of vision and mission in general.

"I think the candidates are still giving a general presentation. Even though it requires concrete and convincing answers," Ngasiman said in a written statement received by Antara in Jakarta, Sunday.

Simon, Ngasiman's nickname, said that what candidates must remember is that defense is a system and strategy that is related to each other.

"We, for example, may strengthen defense equipment, but on the other hand, without strengthening the economy, we are only able to survive in a matter of days when there is a war," he said.

The Chancellor of the Al-Kamal Jakarta Institute of Science and Technology added that non-physical attacks to the Indonesian nation, especially the younger generation, are rarely the focus. For example, the attack on the ideology of extremism that has the potential to divide the nation, that must be anticipated more seriously.

"Regarding data and information, I don't think there are many specifically mentioned by the candidates. No matter how sophisticated our defense is in cyberspace, without being accompanied by good data and information, it will be broken too," said Simon.

He said national defense cannot rely solely on one Matra. He must be built in a system that is integrated across Matra, and is not only the domain of the TNI. Land, sea, air, cyber and space must be synergistic with each other.

Therefore, the candidates in the debate must be able to show a perspective in strengthening this cross-Matra defense, including the capacity, assessment and strategy of our cross-mature interoperability level.

With the implementation of the Minimum Essential Force (MEF) target in our national defense, Indonesia is currently strengthening the Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA). Within the framework of the RMA interoperability is built in the combined technology, doctrine and military organization.

In the context of Indonesia, the unity is concentrated in the defense belt of an archipelagic country.

"Actually, the idea of the New Essential Force, modernizing defense equipment and continuing the MEF as carried by three candidate pairs, is the framework using RMA," said Simon.

Therefore, the candidates must automatically be able to continue the RMA framework in the defense belt of this archipelagic country. In order not to miss it, it must also be adjusted to the development of the latest issues.

"I think the latest issues should be a serious concern, especially the impact caused on national defense, namely: KKB in Papua, Rohingya refugees, human trafficking, Indonesian claims as Malay by Malaysia, and people's responses to foreign conflicts," he said.

In his view, the Indo Pacific region is currently being used as a proxy area. Indonesia will definitely be involved in it.

"Of course, the impact of tensions and potential wars in this area will be felt by Indonesia in the next five years," said Simon.

Simon explained that currently, the South China Sea has emerged as a new epicenter of the West-East conflict. Various questions will certainly arise regarding Indonesia's steps to deal with this, starting from strengthening defense equipment, how Indonesia uses international diplomatic space to minimize the impact. What if the war at the LCS really happened, to what strategies are being prepared.

The issues above need to be deepened widely by candidates for presidential and vice-presidential candidates from their respective perspectives. In addition to seeing the effectiveness and capacity of the candidates, their answers will show an idea of the ideology and partiality of each pair of candidates.

Finally, I want to emphasize that the development of our strategic environment continues to be dynamic and requires rapid anticipation and response. What efforts are the candidates trying to build on this rapid anticipation and response?, said Simon.