Indonesia facing multi-dimensional threats : Minister

Padang, West Sumatra (Antaranews Lampung) - Indonesia has been facing non-military and multi-dimensional threats posed by the drug trafficking, illegal fishing, and illegal logging activities, as well as acts of terrorism and radicalism, a minister said.
         
Those multi-dimensional threats have become serious challenges to the nation, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Wiranto told participants of the Coordinating Forum for Vision of Nationhood here on Wednesday.
         
The people at large need to be aware of those non-military threats, because drug trafficking activities, for instance, have made many young people in Indonesia, become drug users, he noted.
         
"This is a real threat that not only makes our people's health vulnerable but also ruin the future of our young generation," he remarked, adding that around 30 people in Indonesia die of the addictive drugs every day.
         
Wiranto then compared the public response to a plane crash which killed 300 people on board to the death toll from drug abuse which reach around 900 a month.
         
The public response to casualties of an air accident would be massive. But, people do not give the similar degree of response despite the increase in number of drug-related deaths, he explained.
         
In connection with the number of drug users in Indonesia, the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) noted that the number has reached around seven million while the value of the drug trade in the country is estimated to have reached at least Rp66 trillion.
         
The illegal logging activities were also regarded as a serious threat because they have ruined the country's forests and triggered flooding. Therefore, Indonesia needs to maintain alertness on these all multi-dimensional threats, he added.
         
Wiranto further warned of the impact of proxy war that could ruin a state without necessarily using weapons. Defending Indonesia from any security threat is not merely the responsibility of the Indonesian military and police.
         
Instead, defending the country is the obligation of all elements in society, Wiranto pointed out.  

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