Feisal downplays border conflict with Malaysia

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia and Malaysia agreed yesterday not to let the armed border conflict in September sour the good relationship between the two countries.

Indonesian Armed Forces Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung said the clash, which left four Indonesians dead, took place because of a misunderstanding. He placed the greater part of the blame for the incident on bad weather.

"It (the clash) happened on a foggy dawn. The patrolling Malaysian Forest Police could not see the small Indonesian patrol boat sailing along the river bordering the two countries," he announced after the 25th Meeting of the Malaysia-Indonesia General Border Committee.

The four Indonesians were killed during the Sept. 16 clash, on Pancang River near the border on Kalimantan, involving an Indonesian Navy patrol and Malaysian Forest Police. A Marine corporal, a crew member and two civilians who worked as maintenance clerks on the boat died in the clash.

Feisal told the House Commission I on political and security affairs Wednesday the incident would not affect diplomatic ties. His remarks were the first formal confirmation of the border conflict from the Indonesian government.

Also yesterday, Malaysian Defense Minister Dato Syed Hamid bin Syed Jaafar Albar said the two countries have discussed the conflict "through political and military channels".

He agreed with Feisal that it should not affect the relationship between the two countries.

The two officials said the border meeting did not discuss the protracted dispute over the islands of Sipadan and Ligitan, which was referred to the International Court of Justice last month.

Feisal told the House members Wednesday that Indonesia had shown its commitment to maintaining the status quo, agreed to by both countries, by moving Indonesian patrols back from the border.

Feisal criticized Kuala Lumpur for violating the status quo by launching tourism campaigns on the two islands. He said Indonesia was preparing a formal objection to send to the ICJ over Malaysia's decision to promote the islands as a Malaysian holiday destination.

The dispute over the islands, located just off the northeast coast of Kalimantan, is a legacy of the two countries' colonial pasts.

Discussing the outcome of the border meeting, Feisal said the two countries have agreed to continue joint military exercises in the future. They also agreed to increase vigilance over illegal border-trespassing from either country.

Feisal said their joint naval operation identified 142 foreign warships and 18,572 multinational trading ships crossing the Malacca Straits from Jan. 9 to Dec. 11 this year.

The joint operation also noted 35 illegal airplane flights, 81 naval accidents, four incidents of water pollution, two sea piracies and illegal logging activities at 14 locations. (imn)