Alutsista Mafia Suspects Emerged, DPR: Wow, I Don't Know, We Never Got Involved

Vice Chairman of Commission I of the House of Representatives Abdul Kharis Almayshari (center)/ dpr.go.id

JAKARTA - KRI Nanggala-402 was declared subsunk (drowned) along with 53 submarine crews in the waters north of Bali Island. This incident became a criticism of the maintenance and maintenance of the TNI's main weapon system (Alutsista).

Recently, there has been speculation about a suspected business mafia in the national defense system. Thus exacerbating the problem of procurement of defense equipment.

Responding to the allegation, Deputy Chairman of Commission I of the House of Representatives Abdul Kharis Almayshari said he was not aware of the issue.

"Wow, I don't know. We've never been involved, we've never seen the ship", said Kharis when contacted by VOI, Monday, April 26.

Nevertheless, Kharis acknowledged that the budget at the Ministry of Defense was very limited. Thus, it does affect the maintenance and maintenance of defense equipment.

"The budget is limited what to say. The Ministry of Defense budget needs more than IDR 300 trillion, only supported in 2021 of IDR 138 trillion", he said.

The PKS politician said that the IDR 138 trillion budget was not enough to be used for the maintenance of all existing defense equipment. However, Kharis regretted that the allocation had been considered 'jumbo' and had been protested when the real need for the defense was more than IDR 300 trillion.

"So imagine the need for more than IDR 300 trillion. Well, maintenance will be good, maintenance will be good, everything will be taken care of if IDR 300 trillion. It's only IDR 138 trillion, of which IDR 90 trillion is deducted for haj. What do you want to say? It's hard", said Kharis.

Kharis also admitted that Commission I of the DPR always encourages an increase in the budget for defense. However, his party understands the conditions that are still in the current pandemic.

"We continue to push, only those who are encouraged not to add. We understand that fiscal is limited, the economy is not good, we understand it. But demanding such a budget can maintain defense equipment, doesn't make sense", explained Abdul Kharis.

Previously, a military observer, Connie Rahakundini Bakri, said that there was a figure who was influential in the procurement of a soldier's weaponry system. She said the emergence of a business mafia in the national defense system has exacerbated the problem of the main defense system equipment or the TNI's defense system.

"There is a (business mafia in the national defense system), (let's call it) Mister M", he said in a virtual discussion, Sunday, April 25.

However, Connie did not explain in more detail about the figure in question. However, she revealed that she had found a mess of the TNI's defense equipment. One of them is related to the Maung tactical vehicle project initiated by the Ministry of Defense.

"I also found and who wanted to open it. In my opinion, this is part of corruption. Don't get me wrong, first, he bought the whole Hilux, only the chassis was taken, then the others were resold. Even though the one being charged was the price of that one car. "Then I saw 200 cars (Hilux) that came", he said.