"At the regional level, our major challenges are related to the economy," he told mid-ranking officers of the Indonesian military (TNI) and police at the Navy Staff and Command School (Seskoal) here on Wednesday.
Kalla pointed out that based on several research reports and forecasts, Indonesia will not face an inter-state adversary that would pave the way for a foreign invasion within the next two to three decades.
Instead, possible attacks by foreign countries on Indonesia will be related to economic capability, particularly in connection with the ability to increase export-oriented industrial products, he stated.
In terms of this issue, Indonesia, for instance, has greatly been challenged by China, as this world's second-biggest economy can likely "attack" Indonesia by flooding its domestic markets with cheap products, Kalla stated.
"China will not invade Indonesia. Instead, it will 'attack' us from our economic capability, and our industry may get stuck if we have no resilience," he stated.
Strengthening economic resilience was deemed indispensable for Indonesia not only to address other countries' economic dominance but also to maintain its internal social and security stability, he stated.
Kalla noted that the economic crisis that Indonesia reeled under in 1998 ended with social unrest in which, due to its economic hardship, several shops were looted and robbed.
"At that moment, we were united to build our nation. We did not do that disunitedly but together," he stated.
By taking into account the existing challenges, Kalla urged mid-ranking officers of both the TNI and National Police to adapt to Indonesia's defence and security-related strategies to cater to the demands of the world's current economic condition.
"The TNI and National Police are not only urged to get ready for war, but they are also requested to get ready to respond to the nation's social problems. The winner will be the one who is excellent in innovation, technology, and economy," he added. Related news: Improving human resources to respond to global challenges
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Translator: Fransiska Ninditya, Rahmad Nas
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
