Navy holds drill

Navy holds drill
near Ambalat

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Navy on Thursday sent dozens of ships
to take part in a major naval exercise off the east coast of
Borneo near waters disputed with neighboring Malaysia, a navy
spokesman said.

The exercise, code-named Armada Jaya XXY, will include a beach
landing by marines at Sangatta, East Kalimantan province, just
south of the border with Malaysia's Sabah state, as well as
maneuvers in the Sulawesi Sea near an area also claimed by
Malaysia, Eastern Fleet spokesman Toni Syaiful told AFP.

"Most of the ships left Surabaya today and the rest will
follow tomorrow," Toni said, adding that a total of 36 ships
would leave Surabaya in East Java, where the eastern fleet is
based. The ships are to return to Surabaya on Dec. 18.

In April, warships from Indonesia and Malaysia collided with
each other just north of the exercise area but no serious damage
resulted. Tension between the two countries has increased since
Malaysia granted permission to Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell Group
to conduct exploration in the area, called the Ambalat oil block,
last year. -- AFP