JAKARTA, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- The budget cuts of defence will not lead to an internal chaotic situation of Indonesian armed forces (TNI).
"We are part of the Republic, so the TNI is willing to share for the sake of the whole country," the national leading website Detik.com on Monday quoted Indonesian defence minister Juwono Sudarsono as saying.
The TNI is always on the side of the people and also on the front line to combat poverty. "The budget cuts will not aggravate the conflicts and frictions between the civil society and military.
"I don't give any excuse for the TNI to be back to the political stage in Indonesia," he added.
Even in the case of budget cuts, the Indonesian military keeps united with the people. "We won't debate the budget of either 32 trillion (3.5 billion U.S. dollars) or 33.7 trillion rupiahs (3.7 billion U.S. dollars)," he said.
His ministry understands that the government puts the priority on economics sector and the people's prosperity. Anyway, he hoped that in the next five years, after accomplishing the development, the defence budget should be increased proportionally.
"The point is how we can manage the budget," he said. He would attempt to make efforts of efficiency in several items of expenditure for his ministry. Particularly in an item of physical development which is less important. But, it does not mean that the TNI will not spend for improving the defence system.
"We would be selective. This year, we have got six war helicopters and two corvette ships, besides three sukhoi superjet which has been our planning. So, there is no doubt about our stronger weaponry," he said.
