Navy plans exercises in Ambalat

Navy plans exercises in Ambalat

Agence France-Presse, Jakarta

The Indonesian Navy will hold massive naval exercises off the
eastern coast of Borneo, including in waters disputed with
neighboring Malaysia, a Navy spokesman said on Tuesday.

The exercise, codenamed Armada Jaya XXY, will include a beach
landing by marines in Sangata, just south of the border with
Malaysia's Sabah state, and maneuvers in part of the Celebes Sea
also claimed by Malaysia, Eastern Fleet Spokesman Lt. Col. Toni
Syaiful told AFP.

Toni declined to describe the exercise as a "show of force."

Instead he quoted Navy Chief Admiral Slamet Subiyanto as
saying Monday: "that is our own backyard, what is wrong in us
conducting an exercise in our own territory?"

The exercises officially kicked off on Monday, but deployments
to the area will only begin on Dec. 8. They would continue until
Dec. 14, Toni added.

A total of 40 ships, two aircraft and two helicopters as well
as 5,000 men from various Navy units, will take part in the
exercise, which, according to him "is the largest exercise ever
held" by Indonesia.

He said that the exercise was a simulation of an attack on the
country by "enemy forces" and would include maneuvers in the
waters above the Ambalat oil block in the Celebes Sea.

In April, warships from Indonesia and Malaysia collided with
each other near the Ambalat block, 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 of the area last year.

Since then, the two countries have deployed warships to the
disputed area and stepped up their respective patrols in the
area.

"Although it was officially launched on Monday, the first
stages would not involve troop and ship deployments, but concern
problem analyzing, planning strategy and tactical moves and
preparing for deployment," Toni said.