Indonesia in need of strong Navy: President

JAKARTA (JP): President Megawati Soekarnoputri said on Monday that Indonesia needed to develop a strong navy to guard the country's territorial waters.

"A strong naval force reflects a nation's dignity, thus (by having one), we can gain the respect of other countries in the world," the President said, while addressing the 50th anniversary of the Navy Academy in Bumi Moro Krembangan, Surabaya, East Java, as quoted by Antara.

Present at the ceremony were Minister of Defense Matori Abdul Djalil, Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Adm. Widodo AS, Indonesian Navy chief Adm. Indroko Sastrowiryono and other high- ranking military officers.

Indonesia, she said, also needed a strong commercial fleet so that the country would not be left behind in international trade.

Megawati further underscored the alarming security lapses that have occurred amid an increase in illegal activities conducted in Indonesian waters.

Illegal fishing and piracy have increased and have yet to be kept in check by the Navy, she said.

In addition, many fishermen, as well as fishing companies, continue to ignore the preservation of marine resources, she added.

"We have to see all these problems as challenges in developing a better future for Indonesia," the President said.

In the past, the government had been ignorant about it's marine resources, she said. "Ignoring our marine resources and letting other people (from other countries) exploit our waters is a big mistake. This has inflicted great losses to the country and will cause many people in related professions to lose their livelihoods."

"With the growing economy, we hope we will be able to support our Navy so that it can develop and increase its strength."

This archipelago has more than 17,000 islands. Its waters comprise about 2.82 million square meters, or two-thirds of the territory.

Experts and observers lamented that the government had never really taken care of its seas, environmentally or economically.

Last year, then minister of maritime affairs and fisheries Sarwono Kusumaatmadja said that Indonesia badly needed an integrated sea security system to maintain its sovereignty over its sea territory and to curb fish theft.

He said that the average loss of fish stolen in Indonesian waters amounted to US$2 million annually.

According to then director general for small islands and management Rokhmin Dohuri, up until 1997 Indonesia had only exploited 59 percent of its marine resources. (imn/sur)