Governor wants extra troops in Maluku

Governor wants extra troops in Maluku

AMBON, Maluku: Maluku Governor Karel Albert Rahalalu has asked
the Indonesian Military (TNI) to deploy an additional battalion
along Maluku's borders to prevent outlying islands from being
claimed by neighboring countries.

"We have to be alert. We have to keep the islands that we have
secure, and not let them fall into the hands of other countries,"
he said on Thursday. He was apparently referring to the Sipadan
and Ligitan islands, which both Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur claimed
but were awarded to Malaysia by an international tribunal.

The current dispute between Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur over the
Ambalat oil blocks should also serve as a lesson, the governor
said.

He said Indonesia must be most vigilant with the islands of
Lirang and Kambing, near the maritime border with East Timor, and
the Wetar, Yamdena and Aru islands, near the maritime border with
Australia.

Currently, these islands are being monitored by just one
platoon of soldiers. -- JP