Prabowo: We Must Remove The Practice Of Corruption And Manipulation In The Defense Community And The TNI

Defense Minister Prabowo received a visit from the French KSAU and Space General d'Armee Arienne Stephane Mille at the Ministry of Defense, Jakarta, Monday 11 July. (Dok of the media team Prabowo Subianto)

JAKARTA - Minister of Defense (Menhan) Prabowo Subianto warned the ranks of the Ministry of Defense, TNI and the defense industry so that there should no longer be a budget inflated alias mark-up for the procurement of main weapons systems.

"Ladies and gentlemen, maybe what I have said is not good for certain parties, but we must eliminate corrupt and manipulation practices among the defense community and the TNI," he said, in his remarks at the National Seminar on "Tantangan TNI AU in the Development of Aviation Electronic Technology" at Puri Ardhya Garini Building, Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base, East Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Tuesday, November 8.

According to him, there should no longer be a crazy mark-up practice because mark-ups are stealing people's money. Including, manipulating the procurement of spare parts.

"I ask all parties. Moreover, by not prioritizing the maintenance of the defense equipment, in my opinion, the great betrayal of the nation, people and subordinates," he said in a strong voice pressure, in front of the Indonesian Air Force Chief of Staff, TNI Marshal Fadjar Prasetyo, and a number of high and middle officers of the Indonesian Air Force.

He emphasized that if someone found a mark-up, that person would continue to be hunted.

"If there were in my time as the Minister of Defense, I would pursue. I also remind all defense industries that your actions are vital and sacred tasks for the interests of the nation and state. If there are directors of state-owned defense industry that are still taking wrong actions, where are we pursuing them. This is my warning, but this is my hope. what I remember is that our country needs strong defense to maintain the sovereignty of our nation," said Prabowo.

On that occasion, he conveyed a saying from the Ottoman Empire. "There is no strong country without a strong army, no strong army without money, no money without a good economy, namely prosperity, no prosperity without a happy people, no people happy without justice, no justice without a clean government".

"Brothers and sisters are lessons that we must pay attention to, all stakeholders, let us give a clean government in our respective environments. Every commander, director, every head of body must carry out the sacred duty for the people and nation as well as possible," he said.