Alutsista Policy Criticized: Able To Move New Capital, Unable To Build Rescue Submarine

KRI Nanggala-402 (Source: Antara)

JAKARTA - Indonesia has operated submarines for decades. However, the strange thing is that until now, there is no submarine rescue yet. This is in the spotlight of Military Observer Connie Rahakundini Bakrie. In fact, she said, to build a submarine rescue, it only needed Rp5.3 trillion.

Connie also compared it with the government's plan to build the National Capital City (IKN). She asked why the government was willing to build the IKN, but was unable to build a rescue submarine.

"From the start, I was involved because I designed the defense system for the National Capital. I was at first confused, is it possible to achieve this to open a city with a state like this, is there any money? (budget is needed) Rp5.3 trillion (but has not been built until now)," she said in a virtual discussion, Sunday, April 25.

According to Connie, the rescue submarine has not yet been built, indicating that the government does not attach importance to something more important. Because, until now Indonesia continues to operate submarines for decades.

"So in my opinion what we don't have is the sense of urgency. That our armed forces are in a sick state," she said.

Connie said the only incident of a submarine accident that is exactly what Indonesia is currently experiencing was the case of the disappearance of the Argentina-owned San Juan ship in 2017.

"The only one who (experienced) a problem like us is Argentina. San Juan disappeared off the coast of Argentina, then 15 days of being wanted was declared missing, but 1 year later it was found in ruins. That means we can't mess around like that. It means, we cannot take it easy when the sub just disappeared, something very wrong happened like that," he said.

Furthermore, Connie admitted that she was very concerned about the incident on the KRI Nanggala-402 ship. Because, there are 53 lives of the best sons and daughters of the nation on the ship. Therefore, she asked that this issue not only be discussed in the past few weeks.

"This is not playing games. Do not consider 'oh routinely every year a submarine has an accident' that's right, the American submarine crashes so it is not lost drowning," she said.

Regarding the incident of the disappearance of the KRI Nanggala-402 ship, Connie admitted that she tried to refrain from disclosing to the public the ship's latest maintenance documents. This is because the document is believed to create a stir among the people.

"I have been holding back from yesterday so that I don't say anything. Because if it is spoken to the public, they must be excited. I have the latest document reports on the results of the maintenance of KRI Nanggala-402. I have reports from March yesterday about the condition of the submarine and from before about the torpedo," she said.

As is known, the German-made submarine was about to conduct a warhead torpedo firing exercise, on Wednesday, April 21. However, the KRI Naggala-402 ship was declared missing contact from Wednesday, April 21 to Sunday, April 25, and has not been found.

Based on her statement, the KRI Nanggala-402 is estimated to have disappeared in waters about 60 miles or about 95 kilometers from the north of Bali Island, at around 03.00 local time. This submarine carries 53 people consisting of 49 crew members, a unit commander, and three weapons personnel.

Commander of the Indonesian National Army (TNI) Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto said 53 crew members of the KRI Nanggala-402 ship were declared dead. This was conveyed during a press conference at Base Ops at Ngurah Rai Air Base, Badung, Bali, Sunday evening, April 25.