F-16s deployed ahead of Susilo's visit to Sebatik<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Tensions continued to heighten between Indonesia and Malaysia on
\nSunday as Jakarta dispatched four F-16 fighter jets to the
\ndisputed Ambalat offshore area in the Sulawesi Sea to join
\npatrols by seven Indonesian warships.<\/p>\n
The deployment came ahead of President Susilo Bambang
\nYudhoyono's visit to Sebatik island near the disputed area on
\nMonday.<\/p>\n
Air Force Chief of Staff Rear Marshall Djoko Suyanto said the
\nfighter jets were sent to strengthen the patrol in the disputed
\narea.<\/p>\n
\"It isn't aimed at provocation,\" he said after a Cabinet
\nmeeting chaired by Susilo on Sunday. Also present were Indonesian
\nMilitary (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto, Army Chief of
\nStaff Let. Gen. Djoko Santoso, and Minister of Foreign Affairs
\nHassan Wirayuda.<\/p>\n
The F-16s reportedly flew from the Madiun airbase in East Java
\nand arrived in East Kalimantan on Sunday afternoon. It was not
\nclear for how long the jet fighters would be patrolling Ambalat,
\nlocated in the Sulawesi Sea off the east coast of Kalimantan, and
\nthought to have huge oil and gas reserves.<\/p>\n
Susilo is scheduled to fly to East Kalimantan on Monday
\nmorning to visit Sebatik island and the towns of Tarakan and
\nNunukan.<\/p>\n
Sebatik is situated off the land border between East
\nKalimantan and Malaysia's state of Sabah. The island, just west
\nof Ambalat, is split between the two countries.<\/p>\n
The visit to Sebatik is aimed at seeking direct reports on the
\nsituation in the border areas, presidential spokesman Andi
\nMallarangeng said.<\/p>\n
The Navy said President Susilo will board the KRI KS Tubun
\nwarship from Tarakan to Sebatik.<\/p>\n
Malaysia claims Ambalat is part of its territory, while
\nIndonesia said the claim is based on a map from 1979 that is not
\nrecognized by the Indonesian government or most other Southeast
\nAsian countries.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Saturday, Navy Eastern Fleet Fighter Division Chief
\nof Staff, Col. Marsetio, said his office has prepared seven
\nwarships to guard Ambalat.<\/p>\n
\"KRI Singa, KRI Tongkol and KRI KS Tubun warships will be here
\n(Tarakan) in a moment, joining KRI Nuku, KRI Wiratno and KRI
\nRencong warships,\" he said as quoted by Antara.<\/p>\n
Another warship will also be sent, but will not arrive in
\nTarakan until Monday morning, Marsetio added.<\/p>\n
The deployment of warships, he said, was in line with the
\nnational policy of protecting the country's sovereignty on the
\neast coast of Sebatik island.<\/p>\n
Several hours earlier, KRI Rencong faced off with the
\nMalaysian warship KD Kerambit in Karang Unarang waters, where a
\nlighthouse is to be built by the Ministry of Communications and
\nInformation to help strengthen Indonesia's position.<\/p>\n
Marsetio said there were radio contacts between the two
\nwarships, with Malaysia claiming that KRI Rencong had entered
\nMalaysian territory.<\/p>\n
Argument ensured, with KRI Rencong telling Malaysian
\nauthorities otherwise.<\/p>\n
TNI chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto said Indonesian and
\nMalaysian warships had met several times in passing in the
\ndisputed area. However, no military incident was reported.<\/p>\n
He gave an assurance that tensions between the countries would
\nnot worsen as he and his Malaysian counterpart had agreed to
\nsettle the matter through diplomatic channels.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, former People's Consultative Assembly speaker Amien
\nRais urged the government to make all efforts to retain Ambalat,
\notherwise Indonesia's loss of Ligitan and Sipadan will be
\nrepeated.<\/p>\n
\"If the government is softhearted and weak, they (Malaysia)
\nwill really put pressure on us. So, the ball is really in the
\ngovernment's court,\" Amien said in Makassar, South Sulawesi.<\/p>\n
A number of Makasar residents have meanwhile set up a \"Front
\nfor Crushing Malaysia\" center aimed at defending the country
\nshould tensions continue.<\/p>\n
This is reminiscent of Indonesia's confrontation with Malaysia
\nin the mid 1960s, when Indonesia claiming territory ceded to the
\nMalaysian federation by the British (now Sabah and Sarawak) in
\nnorth Borneo.<\/p>",
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