Modern Defense Needs Strengthening of Civil Capability
Indonesia needs to transform its civil-military relations. A comprehensive defense concept must be implemented in the form of civil capability mobilization, especially in the aspect of technology mastery.
By
DIAN DEWI PURNAMASARI/EDNA C PATTISINA
·4 minutes read
JAKARTA, KOMPAS – In order to face the threat of modern warfare as a consequence of Industry 4.0, Indonesia needs to transform its civil-military relations. A comprehensive defense concept must be implemented in the form of civil capability mobilization, especially in the aspect of technology mastery.
Civil involvement in defense can extend beyond physical matters, such as involvement in basic military training. As Indonesia prepares for its centenary in 2045, defense threats will increasingly involve cyber technology, electronics, chemicals and biological matters.
In a discussion themed Geopolitical Changes, Defense and Threats Toward Indonesia 2045 at the Kompas office in Jakarta on Wednesday (12/2/2020), Center for Strategic Risk Assessment researcher Kusnanto Anggoro said that civilians as part of defense reserve can reinforce the Indonesian Military (TNI).
The discussion was attended by Joint Defense Area II (Kogabwilhan) commander Air Marshal Fadjar Prasetyo, University of Indonesia (UI) social and political sciences faculty lecturer Inaya Rakhmani, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) international relations department head Shafiah Muhibat and Presidential Office senior advisor Manuel Kaisiepo.
Civil industries based on technology of medicine factories with engineering capability can be used for defense.
Kusnanto said that civil capability enhancement can be carried out by the military providing training for civilians in line with their capacity, especially for relevant skills required to face trends of defense threats.
“For instance, civil industries based on technology of medicine factories with engineering capability can be used for defense,” he said.
He said this was in line with Law No. 3/2002 on state defense. The Law stipulates that the military is the main component of the state defense system, with support by reserve and supporting components.
Nevertheless, the current mindset of civil involvement in defense still emphasize on civilians’ role in physical military defense. Such a program may not be relevant with threats Indonesia faces in the future.
“The prevailing regulations only talk about military basic trainings. This is inadequate to face the challenges of 2045,” Kusnanto said.
Meanwhile, Fadjar Prasetyo said future threats might not take the form of conventional warfare but will instead involve combined civil-military capabilities, such as the skills to counter cyberattacks.
Comprehensive defense must involve the military and civilians tackling problems together.
For instance, Fadjar said, the military was heavily present in Natuna, Riau Islands, where Indonesians having just returned from Wuhan are being observed right now. However, the Health Ministry and other ministries are also heavily involved.
“Like the Defense Minister said, comprehensive defense must involve the military and civilians tackling problems together, like with the new coronavirus right now,” he said.
Furthermore, military analyses show that mastery of technology in the future will be highly important in defense. Fadjar said defense and security should be modernized and adaptable with the latest development in science and technology. The TNI has the vision to fulfill the minimum essential force (MEF). Currently, MEF development is in its final stages and it is hoped that Indonesia can take off and have the ideal capabilities in 2045.
Therefore, the TNI hopes that the government can fulfill its budgetary needs. Fadjar said that, ideally, the budget for the TNI is 3-4 percent of the national gross domestic product (GDP), which is at US$1 trillion.
Global and internal conditions
Shafiah Muhibat said several global conditions would affect Indonesia heading to 2045, including the world’s increasingly interconnected nature, resulting in viruses spreading more rapidly and threatening global public health. Geopolitically, the rivalry of the world’s two largest economies, namely the United States and China, also poses a challenge.
Internally, Indonesia also faces the threat of gaps that lead to the rise of identity politics and radicalism. Inaya Rakhmani said identity politics and extremism rose as a consequence of the concentration of wealth among a handful of people. Anger over this injustice is expressed in the form of non-transactional social adhesion based on religion, blood, kinship and nationality.
Such identity-based sentiments are predicted to flourish in the climate of a neoliberal economy, where individual competitions to obtain education, jobs and basic services will be increasingly fierce.