DEFENSE MINISTRY'S BUDGET TO BE INCREASED

Jakarta, May 28 (ANTARA) - The ministry of defense will likely receive an additional budget of between Rp5 trillion and Rp6 trillion in 2010.

Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono said after a limited cabinet meeting at the presidential office on Wednesday that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had agreed at the meeting that the ministry's budget had to be increased in 2010.

"Although we were also of the view that the ideal budget of around Rp120 trillion a year would never be met because of the current crisis and budget shortage," he said.

He said the government had also agreed that in the next two years there must be a rise in the ministry's budget which would be aimed at promoting operational readiness and maintenance of equipment "to assure safety of all weapons systems in all forces."
The additional budget of between Rp5 trillion and Rp6 trillion was also aimed at promoting operational readiness and maintenance of equipment.

Procurement of new equipment such as submarines as has been deciced in a cabinet meeting will be postponed, he said.

"From the present budget of Rp33.6 trillion we will secure up to around Rp800 billion a year for maintenance or ideally next year above Rp1.2 trillion for operational readiness and maintenance," he said.