Valuable Lessons from the Pandemic

The Covid-19 outbreak has crippled the economy. Many countries have been overwhelmed by the spread of the virus. The optimistic growth target set with a view towards Gold Indonesia 2045 may need to be reviewed.

In celebrating the 75th independence anniversary of Indonesia on 17 Aug. 2020 and the 55th anniversary of Kompas daily on 28 June, Kompas daily held a series of panel discussions to welcome 100 years of Indonesia in 2045. After the first discussion in January, the second discussion in February was attended by a number of panelists, including chief Field Marshal Fadjar Prasetyo of the Joint Regional Defense Command II, researcher Kusnanto Anggoro of the Center for Strategic Risk Assessment, Social and Political Sciences lecturer Inaya Rakhmani of the University of Indonesia, and international relations head Shafiah Muhibat of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Jakarta. The discussion summary has been compiled by Ninuk M. Pambudy, A. Tomy Trinugroho, Anthony Lee, and Edna Caroline Pattisina, and is published on Page 18 and Kompas.id.

KOMPAS/IQBAL BASYARI

Officers man a health and security post operating out of a marquee at the Wisma Atlet Covid-19 Emergency Hospital in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, Tuesday (24/3/2020).

The novel coronavirus outbreak has crippled the economy. Many countries have been overwhelmed by the spread of the virus. The optimistic growth target set with a view towards Gold Indonesia 2045 may need to be reviewed.

In the current situation, it is evident that public health is critical to a country\'s resilience. The economic development program must be revised. Large amounts of funding should be reallocated to address public health issues.

The "attack" of the new coronavirus, which has led to the Covid-19 pandemic, indicates that a country’s resilience relies on government performance. State defense is built through the readiness of civil institutions and the networks between them.

The economic development program must be revised.

The defense ministry, whose main task is to focus on the armed forces, may continue to play a role in building resilience, but a number of other agencies and institutions that engage in non-military matters still play a key role.

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Building Indonesia\'s resilience against cyber attacks that threaten national telecommunications systems or data centers, for example, is the responsibility of institutions that manage telecommunications and informatics. Civil organizations that comprise telecommunications and informatics experts must be included in a protocol that allows their quick involvement when a threat is detected.

Efforts to contain the new coronavirus, or any other pandemic, must not only be the responsibility of the health ministry alone, but also health and biological research institutions throughout Indonesia. The interagency network that should be built in such a way so it can respond quickly whenever there is an outbreak of infectious disease is part of the effort to build national resilience.

Identity politics

In its journey to 100 years of Independence, Indonesia has also faced various challenges in the growing strength of identity politics. Identity politics has also emerged in a number of countries, although the degree and intensity depend on historical context and the locality.

The structural issue that has given rise to identity politics is inequality. This is the impact of a liberal economy, an open free market, and the increasingly rapid flow of people and services since the 1980s. The cause of the problem is also the government\'s setback in providing basic services, such as social welfare, education, and housing.

In the midst of these threats, Indonesia also still faces the external risk of armed conflict on its way to 100 years of independence. War using munitions and a variety of other weapons will still occur, but their character is different from those that came before. War in the coming years can occur without warning. These accidental wars will be short.

This kind of war demands technological support, ranging from sophisticated surveillance instruments to unmanned bombers. The ability to deploy trained troops quickly, supported by sophisticated technological equipment, is a necessity. Military development should be able to meet such needs.

KOMPAS/EDNA CAROLINE PATTISINA

The KRI Teuku Umar and KRI Tjiptadi warships are prepared for deployment in the TNI (Indonesian Military) Sea Combat Alert operation, which is to be reinforced by air power. A military briefing was held and led by the chief of the Joint Defense Territory Command (Kogabwilhan), Vice Adm. Yudo Margono in Natuna on Friday (3/1/2020).

Towards 100 years of independence, Indonesia also needs to pay more attention to the direction of geopolitical developments. The rise of China and the country\'s influence in its contest with the United States will dominate the face of the future. The dispute in the South China Sea and increasing military presence in these waters, including the Pacific and Indian oceans, will continue.

The expectation that the Pacific and East Asia will become the new hotspots is reflected in, among others, the US defense policy. The Wall Street Journal (3/22/2020) writes about the massive policy transformation of the US Marine Corps over 10 years. This transformation shifts the US Marines’ strategic focus from resistance in the Middle East to the challenges of China\'s presence in the Western Pacific. The US Marines are preparing to be mobile from one island to another in response to the Chinese Navy. In order to build strong troops amid the limited budget, the US Marines are reducing tanks, aircraft, and the number of troops.

In terms of foreign relations, Indonesia needs to formulate a more effective foreign policy in the coming years. How concretely will the free and active foreign policy Indonesia adopts be implemented in the midst of a US-Chinese battle of influence in the Pacific region and the South China Sea? The regional disputes between China and several Southeast Asian countries in the South China Sea, including the presence of Chinese vessels in Indonesia\'s Exclusive Economic Zone, all present challenges in formulating Indonesia\'s foreign policy.