Malaysia's new force not threat to RI: Gen. Feisal
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia does not perceive the creation of Malaysia's Rapid Deployment Force as any sort of provocation or threat, a top military official says.
"It's not provocation," the Commander of the Indonesian Armed Forces (ABRI) Feisal Tanjung, said here yesterday in response to questions from the press.
Speaking at the 23rd session of the Malaysia-Indonesia General Border Committee, Feisal remarked that it is the media that has misinterpreted the matter.
"Every country needs a Rapid Deployment Force," he said.
Malaysia launched its new force during a high profile week- long military exercise at Lengkawi island last October, an action which reportedly caused concern among its neighbors.
Malaysian Minister of Defense Mohammad Najib also remarked that the newly formed force should not be overdramatized since all of the other countries in the region already have similar military detachments.
Najib explained that the Rapid Deployment Force will allow Malaysia to increase its role in the international sphere for such purposes as required under the United Nations.
Apart from the creation of the force, there has also been general concern over the beefing-up of the Malaysian armed forces.
In this past year Kuala Lumpur has acquired several Russian- made MIG-29s and American-made F-18 jet fighters.
Just a month ago Malaysia purchased a United States Navy landing-ship-tank vessel, the USS Spartanburg County, for US$19 million.
Najib defended his country's actions describing them not as a military build-up, but as more of a refurbishment.
"The development of the APM (Malaysian Armed Forces) has to be seen from the equipment that is now outdated," he said, adding that the fighter planes the Malaysian air force uses are "relics of the Vietnam War".
Najib explained that acquisition of these new weapons of war was an economic necessity since it is not economically viable to merely upgrade military hardware which is now out of production.
"Malaysia is the last one to have a modern jet fighter," Najib said in reference to similar purchases made by other countries in the region.
When asked about the dispute over the Spratly and Paracel islands, Najib asserted that Kuala Lumpur remained strong in its belief that the problem should be settled peacefully by diplomatic means and not by "military force".
The dispute over the islands in the South China Sea involves overlapping claims by six countries in the region.
In his opinion, recent developments have shown the other claimants to also agree with this position.
Border
Discussing the progress of the Malaysia-Indonesia General Border Committee, Feisal said that it had significantly strengthened common understandings and cooperation between the two armed forces.
"All of our activities are aimed at improving peace and prosperity, which is also the desire of the international community," he said.
Feisal also signaled the prospect of upgrading the periodic joint army exercises between the two countries.
"If we consider such exercises are going well, then it could be continued with a much larger one," he indicated.
A joint land, sea and air exercise is due to be carried out in 1996 on Indonesian territory.
Based on last year's 22nd border discussion in Kuala Lumpur, the armed forces of both countries agreed to increase the frequency of the exercises from every five to every three years. (mds)