Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika says he’s in support of state defense training for gang members.
Weapons training, he’d also get behind, the governor said, according to Antara Bali.
Indonesia announced on Friday that the country’s army will give “semi-military” weapons training to people including unemployed men and “gangsters” in Bali under the “Bela Negara,” or “Defend the Nation” program.
As far as Pastika says it, such training would instill a stronger sense of nationalism, especially amongst the younger generation. Government leaders have been stoked about nationalism lately with the country’s growing fear of communism.
Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu, however, explained that the Bela Negara training curriculum does not include firearms and weapons training would only be initiated if the country was under threat and the national army needed back up. So that’s somewhat reassuring.
