Garuda Indonesia Colours Magazine October 2014 | Page 106

104

Explore | Interview

INTERVIEW
PURNOMO YUSGIANTORO

HEADING
TOWARDS
INDEPENDENT
DEFENCE
Interview by Vikaria Lestari
Photography by Hendra Wiradi Wahab

With National Armed
Forces Day falling on October 5,
Indonesia’s Minister of
Defence, Purnomo Yusgiantoro,
spoke to Colours about the
challenges and achievements
of the nation’s Ministry of
Defence and the positive
growth of the country’s
defence industry.
Sixty-nine years ago, on October 5, 1945,
Tentara Nasional Indonesia (TNI or the
Indonesian National Armed Forces) was
founded, then known as Tentara Keamanan
Rakyat (The People’s Army) and born from
Badan Keamanan Rakyat (the People’s
Security Corps), a civil defence force
established to ensure security and unity
across the newly declared independent
Indonesia. Today, threats against ideological,
political, socioeconomic and security facets
of Indonesia are often subtle and
increasingly complex in this fast-paced
era of globalisation, and this is a challenge
that TNI must face.
In carrying out its duties in this modern
age, TNI requires not only the support
of skilled and professional servicemen
and servicewomen, but also the support
of advanced defence systems and primary
weaponry and defence systems. Establishing
and maintaining a defence system that
is independent from other countries
and independent in its procurement process
is vital in creating a fully capable and selfreliant military force.