By Bernama
Jakarta : The Indonesian government needs to immediately modernise the Navy on a large scale in its effort to maintain the Unitary State of the Indonesian Republic (NKRI)’s sovereignty, legislators said here on Friday.
Quoting House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I member Yuddy Chrisnandi, ANTARA news agency reported Friday that the Navy’s modernization was absolutely needed because the armament at its disposal was already obsolete.
“The aging arsenal of the Navy is no longer effective in naval operations and therefore it should be modernized immediately,” said Chrisnandi, a former University of Indonesia Students Executive Board (BEM) activist.
He said the Navy was bearing great responsibilities such as fighting illegal fishing in Indonesian waters, smuggling that inflict losses of hundreds of billions of rupiah including shipments of wood from illegal logging activity as well as theft of hidden treasures.
“Therefore the Indonesian Navy needs financial support from the government for the modernization of its armament system to overcome crime at sea and to maintain the state’s sovereignty,” Chrisnandi said.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian news agency also quoted House Comission IV Deputy Chairman Mindo S as saying that the Navy’s armament system was now in deplorable conditions.
“The Indonesian Navy should be equipped with an adequate armament system and sophisticated ships to maintain national security and sovereignty,” Mindo said.