Ryamizard Says There Is a Sovereignty Threat if Orbit 123 Slot Is Not Saved

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Minister of Defense 2014-2019 period Ryamizard Ryacudu say, there is a threat of sovereignty to the country when the 123 -degree East Longitude orbit slot is not immediately rescued although normatively there are some that are not appropriate.

Therefore, President Joko Widodo also issued a discretion or order to him to save the orbital slot that is above Sulawesi.

“Firstly, because there is discretion and secondly, there is a threat to sovereignty if it is not done,” said Ryamizard as quoted from Kompas.id, Monday (17/1/2022).

Ryamizard acknowledged that the Ministry of Defense (Ministry of Defense) while utilizing orbit slots in 2015 does not yet have a budget.

Also read: The Attorney General’s Office Examines 3 Witnesses in the Case of the Satellite Rental Project at the Ministry of Defense

However, the Ministry of Defense must continue to rent satellites in order to save the orbital slot as ordered by Jokowi.

“Indeed, there is no budget yet. However, we must immediately fill the slot to show our commitment (to fill the orbital slot),” he said.

Ryamizard said, there is an element of emergency in filling the satellite in the orbital slot.

Because, if Indonesia does not immediately show its commitment to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the slot can be given to another party.

It was noted that on January 19, 2015, the Garuda-1 satellite in that slot was out of orbit, resulting in a vacancy in the orbital slot of 123 degrees East Longitude.

As per ITU rules, these slots must be filled if they do not want to be given to other countries.

“I am a soldier, I was ordered to save orbit 123 East Longitude, I did it and succeeded. If I don’t do that, the orbit can be taken by other parties and endanger the country’s sovereignty,” he asserted.

The problem with the satellite project began when the Ministry of Communication and Information (Kemkominfo) complied with the Ministry of Defense’s request to obtain the right to manage the orbital slot of 123 degrees east longitude (BT) in order to build a Satkomhan.

The Ministry of Defense then made a lease contract for the Artemis Satellite owned by Avanti Communication Limited on December 6, 2015.

Also read: Former Defense Minister Ryamizard Says There Was an Order from the President to Save Orbit Slot 123

The contract was carried out even though the use of the 123 degree east longitude orbital slot from the Ministry of Communication and Information was only issued on January 29, 2016.

However, on June 25, 2018, the Ministry of Defense returned the rights to manage the orbital slot of 123 degrees east to the Ministry of Communication and Information.

At the time of contracting with Avanti in 2015, the Ministry of Defense did not yet have a budget for this purpose.

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