Indonesia, Singapore Navies launch joint civic work mission<\/p>\n
PALEMBANG, South Sumatra (JP): The Navy will continue to place
\na strong emphasis in its civic work missions to help alleviate
\npoverty in the country's least developed areas.<\/p>\n
\"The Navy sees the Baskara Jaya civic work mission as a must.
\nNow the social mission becomes urgent due to the economic crisis
\nthat has plagued the country in the last 11 months,\" Navy Chief
\nAdm. Arief Kushariadi said in the launching ceremony of a joint
\nIndonesian and Sigaporean navy civic work mission on Bangka and
\nBelitung islands, at Palembang Naval Base here yesterday.<\/p>\n
Also attending the ceremony were Singapore Navy Chief Vice
\nAdm. Richard Lim and South Sumatra Governor Ramli Hasan Basri.<\/p>\n
The ceremony ended with a parachute jump show involving 40
\nmarines.<\/p>\n
Arief stressed that the motive behind the civic work mission
\nwas concern over the livelihoods of the millions of people living
\nbelow the poverty line.<\/p>\n
\"The civic work mission is aimed not only at helping develop
\nthe least developed villages but also at strengthening economic
\nand defense resilience in remote areas,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The Singapore navy deployed a warship and almost 200
\npersonnel, including medical workers, to participate in the civic
\nmission.<\/p>\n
Arief said personnel from both countries would carry out
\ndevelopment projects, such as road and irrigation construction
\nand school and mosque renovations, while their medical teams
\nwould provide free medical services to the needy.<\/p>\n
Lim said the Singapore navy would continue to cooperate with
\nthe Indonesian Navy in civic work missions and joint military
\nexercises in the future in order to enhance bilateral
\ncooperation.<\/p>\n
\"We have carried out joint military exercises for 20 years.
\nThis year, the two navies will conduct a joint patrol operation
\nin the Strait of Malacca,\" he said after the ceremony.<\/p>\n
He said this was the second time the Singapore navy would
\nparticipate in a civic work mission.<\/p>\n
He added that the Singapore navy contributed rice, textiles
\nand food worth Rp 300 million to the mission.<\/p>\n
Three warships -- Indonesia's KRI Teluk Banten and KRI Teluk
\nPeleng and Singapore's RSS Excellence -- with almost 800 soldiers
\nand medical workers from both navies have been deployed to carry
\nout the month-long operation. (rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesia-singapore-navies-launch-joint-civic-work-mission-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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