JAKARTA, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia increased budget for defense by 12 percent to 36 trillion rupiah (some 3.83 billion U.S. dollars) in 2008, compared to the previous year, Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono said here on Wednesday.

    The minister told a press conference after meeting President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyno at the State Palace that the figure was still far from ideal amount of 11 billion U.S. dollars.

    Indonesia faces serious threat transnational crimes, such as terrorism, illegal fishing and separatist movements, he said.