Ryamizard's Message About Managing Alusista To Prabowo

JAKARTA - Former Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu responded to President Joko Widodo's request to Prabowo Subianto not to depend on buying the main weapon system (alutsista) by import.

Ryamizard claims that since taking office from 2014 to 2019, he has continued to prioritize the procurement of the budget for the purchase of domestically produced defense equipment.

"I've always been like that (prioritizing domestic production)," said Ryamizard when he was met at the National Defense Institute office, Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan, Central Jakarta, Saturday, November 23.

The retired TNI general supports Jokowi's command to his minister, namely managing the defense equipment budget without prioritizing projects. According to him, the defense equipment budget could be reduced by increasing the quality of human resources in maintaining national resilience.

"The important thing is the person, the man behind the gun. The important thing is the great person," he said.

For information, Jokowi summoned a number of ministers to the Presidential Palace, Central Jakarta, to hold a limited meeting on the management of the defense equipment procurement budget on Friday, November 22.

Launching ANTARA, Jokowi asked his ministers to clearly develop a road map for the development of the main equipment industry for the domestic weapon system from upstream to downstream. This is done so that the government does not only import alusista from abroad.

Jokowi also asked Prabowo to end defense budget spending which is only oriented towards projects.

"Do not orientate anymore to absorption of the budget, being able to spend as much as possible, let alone the orientation is just a project. Already, stop like that," said the former governor of DKI.

Responding to Jokowi's direction, Prabowo promised to look for loopholes in the defense budget, including in the procurement of the Main Weapon System (Alutsista).

"Yes, we will 'review' everything, we will see. He was very strict with me, there should be no leaks, no irregularities, irregularities. Money is very heavy to get, public money, from taxes," Prabowo said.

For the record, the Ministry of Defense is listed as the institution with the largest budget in 2020. Based on the Bappenas document, the Ministry of Defense obtained a budget ceiling in 2020 of IDR 126.8 trillion, this value increased by IDR109.6 trillion from the previous year's project realization.

The budget allocation for the Ministry of Defense is expected to be spent on various needs related to the procurement of the main weaponry system equipment (alutsista) and its maintenance. Meanwhile, others are used for operational costs and infrastructure in remote areas, such as the military base in Sorong, Papua.