Data Check: Ganjar Mentions TNI's Main Strength or MEF, What are the Facts?

Presidential candidate number 3, Ganjar Pranowo, stated that to achieve the Minimum Essential Force (MEF) target, or the standard minimum force of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), Indonesia must increase its defense budget by 1-2% of its GDP.

He made this statement during the third series of the 2024 Presidential and Vice-Presidential Debate themed "Defense, Security, International Relations, and Geopolitics" at Istora Senayan, Jakarta, on Sunday (7/1/2024).

The MEF itself is the minimum standard force of the TNI, which is one of the programs for developing Indonesia's defense sector.

According to the Performance Achievement Report of the Deputy for National Defense Coordination (2022), the main objective of the MEF program is, "To build the main components of the TNI to achieve the minimum main force as an ideal and respected defense posture at the regional and international levels".

Based on the report, the achievement of the MEF is assessed using four variables, namely:

* Main weapons system equipment (alutsista);
* Maintenance and upkeep of alutsista;
* Defense infrastructure and facilities; and
* Professionalism and welfare of soldiers.

However, to date, the achievement of the MEF has only been calculated using the alutsista variable, while the other three variables have not been assessed because their calculation formula is more complex.

In fact, according to data from the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs (Kemenko Polhukam), Indonesia's MEF from 2015 to 2021 has tended to increase. However, since 2019, the achievement of the MEF has consistently failed to meet the target.

The 2024 State Budget Financial Notes also noted, "The achievement of the MEF is difficult to increase because many weapons systems have reached the end of their service life but have not been replaced, considering that the budget required to purchase weapons systems requires a substantial portion of the State Budget."