Member of Commission I DPR TB Hasanuddin rejected the establishment of a military base in the territory of the Republic of Indonesia, following an official request from the state of the Russian Federation to the Indonesian government.
According to him, this is not in line with Indonesia's active free international political principles. He is worried that establishing a Russian military base in the country will trigger tensions in ASEAN.
"The establishment of foreign military bases in Indonesian territory is a violation of the constitution and is contrary to the principle of active free foreign politics which is the main foundation of Indonesian diplomacy," said TB Hasanuddin, Tuesday, April 15.
In international media information such as the media on defense, Janes, the Russian Federation is said to have asked the Indonesian government to make Manuhua Air Base in Biak, Papua, the base location for Russian military aircraft.
The request was made after a meeting between the Indonesian Minister of Defense Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and the Secretary of the Russian Security Council in February 2025.
The military base is intended to place Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) long-distance aircraft at Manuhua Air Base, which shares the runway with Frans Kaisiepo Airport. This issue also became a discussion in the media The Sydney Morning Herald.
TB Hasanuddin hopes that the Government will not grant Russia's request. "Our constitution and various laws and regulations strictly prohibit the existence of foreign military bases. This is not only a matter of law, but concerns the principles of national sovereignty and the direction of our foreign politics," said Major General TNI (Ret.).
Tb Hasanuddin also emphasized that Indonesian foreign politics is free to be active in which free means free from the influence of any block and active means actively maintaining world peace. According to him, opening up opportunities for the presence of foreign military forces is contrary to that spirit.
The establishment of foreign military bases will only drag Indonesia into geopolitical regulations that are counterproductive to world peace. In addition, our national interests are more important than interfering in situations that have the potential to increase the intensity of conflict between large powers," explained TB Hasanuddin.
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The member of the commission in charge of Defense assessed that the establishment of a foreign military base in Indonesia could potentially trigger tensions between ASEAN member countries and disrupt regional stability.
"We have to be careful. Regional stability is more important than the narrow interests of certain countries. ASEAN is built on the basis of cooperation and trust, not military power competition," he concluded.
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