Govt urged to focus more on remote islands

M. Azis Tunny, The Jakarta Post, Ambon

The government should learn from its past mistakes, particularly in reference to Sipadan and Ligitan islands, disputed for years between Malaysia and Indonesia, and recent tension over the Ambalat oil and gas blocks, a senior Navy officer says.

The central government should also take steps to secure its rights to the remote islands of Maluku province said First Admiral Bambang Supeno, the chief of Ambon's naval base in Ambon.

Based on data from the Maluku Fishery Office in line with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclose), Maluku has 812 islands spread across the province.

Of those islands that border directly with Australia and Timor Leste, 21 of them are determined to be remote islands, eight of which are located in Aru Islands regency, and 13 in the Western Southeast Maluku regency.

With 92 remote islands marking the country's outermost territorial border, 21 of them are located in Maluku and Riau provinces.

The remote islands' security must be assessed, particularly in Maluku, as only nine of the 21 islands there are inhabited. However, the navy has a limited capacity to reach and protect the archipelago's most remote islands.

Bambang admitted that the Navy had faced difficulties in observing and protecting the Maluku waters as only five patrol boats were deployed to oversee Ambon, Southeast Maluku and Aru. "We are facing a shortage of equipment as there are only five patrol boats. I think more vessels should be added to the fleet," said Bambang after a village chief inauguration ceremony in Siri- Sori Islam, Saparua district on Saturday.

The Ambon naval command has been provided with the assistance of an Indonesian Navy vessel dispatched by the Eastern Fleet to fill the shortage.

Besides protecting the remote islands, the presence of the naval fleet is intended to curb illegal logging and fish poaching.

On the same occasion, Maluku public figure Lieut. Gen. (ret.) Suaidi Marasabessy told The Jakarta Post that there should be physical presence on the remote islands to avoid the possibility of them being seized by other countries.

Without physical presence, other countries can claim their rights to the far-flung islands through the international court, such as the Sipadan-Ligitan case.

"The government should be committed in handling the matter and establish their presence on the vacant remote islands, especially around Timor Leste and Australian territories," said the former military chief of general staff.

Meanwhile, first assistant secretary of the Maluku provincial administration Izack Saimima said that steps should be taken to avoid such a case from occurring in Maluku, for example by updating data on the islands.

Izack said that the Indonesian Military (TNI) had only shown their presence on larger islands that were inhabited, like on Wetar island in Western Southeast Maluku.

"There are no TNI and police personnel manning the remote outposts on islands that are small and deserted. That is the problem," said Saimima.