Navy to intensify war against smuggling

Navy to intensify war against smuggling

JAKARTA (JP): The Navy is gearing up to combat widespread
piracy, smuggling, poaching and pollution in the busy Malacca
Strait.

Navy Chief Vice Admiral Arief Kushariadi asked the Navy's new
Western Fleet Commander Rear Admiral Achmad Sutjipto on Wednesday
to intensify the fleet's patrol of one of the world's busiest sea
lanes.

Arief urged the Western Fleet command to work in conjunction
with the neighboring navies of Malaysia and Singapore to curb the
criminal activities in the Strait.

"Smuggling, piracy, pollution and illegal fishing are still
rampant in the area, especially around the Riau islands," he said
after swearing in Sutjipto at navy headquarters.

Sutjipto replaced Rear Admiral Widodo A.S., who is now
assistant to the navy chief overseeing budgetary and planning
affairs.

Arief, inducted on March 15, said the growing number of crimes
in the narrow strait bordering Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore
has become one of the navy's most pressing concerns.

Last year, the western fleet impounded more than 80 foreign
ships caught poaching in Indonesian territory and brought more
than 140 alleged smugglers to court after seizing their smuggled
electronic goods.

The Navy, according to Arief, also has foiled attempts to
smuggle several thousands of Indonesian workers to Malaysia.

Widodo, the outgoing Western Fleet Command chief, admitted
that the Navy's operations so far have not brought about the
desired results due mainly to a lack of high-powered patrol ships
and personnel.

"Crimes are well-organized there," he said.

Arief added that successful prosecutions are generally very
involved, requiring the assistance of the prosecutor's office,
the tax and excise office and the transportation ministry.

Another matter being monitored by the Navy, Arief said, is the
military tension between China and Taiwan.

If it develops into an open war and affects security within
Indonesia's territory, the navy can deploy several warships in
the South China Sea bordering Indonesia, he said.

He predicted that Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines
would do the same if war were to break out.

Arief said the Navy's western fleet, which has an integrated
defense system of battle units, warships, war planes and naval
bases, should be able to react rapidly in times of crisis.

"The fleet must be able to launch a preemptive strike if
necessary," he said.

Sutjipto, 51, was the Eastern Fleet Command's chief of staff
from 1993 to 1996.

After graduating from the Surabaya-based Navy Academy in 1969,
he pursued his education in shipping technology in 1970. He was
assigned to warships from 1971 to 1974.

Between 1975 and 1978, he was an administrative officer at the
Navy's Eastern Fleet headquarters. In 1979, he was employed at PT
PAL's dockyard company in Surabaya.

He was appointed commandant of the Eastern Fleet Headquarters'
detachment from 1980 to 1984.

Sutjipto, born in the East Javanese town of Bondowoso in 1945,
was given command in 1991 of the KRI Marta Kristina Tiahahu and
KRI Achmad Yani warships.

In 1992 he was appointed governor of the Navy Academy.

Arief also inducted on Wednesday the new commandant of marine
traffic command, Commodore Amonaris S., who replaces Commodore
Warsono. (rms)