RI, Malaysia to combine antiterrorist effort

RI, Malaysia to combine antiterrorist effort

KUALA LUMPUR (JP): Indonesian and Malaysian leaders agreed
here on Monday to step up efforts to prevent international
terrorism spreading to both countries, officials said.

Indonesian foreign minister Hassan Wirayuda said President
Megawati and her Malaysian counterpart Mahathir Mohamad had
agreed at their meeting to increase bilateral cooperation in
dealing with terrorism.

"We need to step up communication between our intelligence
agents and between the police to prevent such actions as the two
countries share the some concern that terrorist activities have
reached an alarming level," Hassan said after the meeting.

He further said that the two leaders had also agreed to seek a
joint mechanism for fighting terrorism. Such a mechanism could
also include the participation of other countries from the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The issue of international terrorism was also raised during
bilateral talks between Megawati and Singaporean Prime Minister
Goh Chok Tong in Singapore on Sunday, Hassan said.

Meanwhile, Malaysian foreign minister Syed Hamid Albar told a
news conference after the two leaders had met for an hour that
gun-running to separatist groups in Indonesia's Aceh province and
growing Islamic militancy in Malaysia were the primary concerns.

"Aceh is part of Indonesia. We will continue to respect
Indonesia's sovereignty over Aceh," the foreign minister was
quoted as saying by AFP.

Malaysia has in the past been blamed in some Indonesian
quarters for the smuggling of arms into Aceh.

Megawati is in Malaysia for a two-day state visit, the last
leg of her first, eight-day overseas trip to nine countries in
ASEAN.

She received a full military welcoming ceremony at the
Parliament House, and the Malaysian king even escorted her to her
hotel.

Aside from terrorism issues, Megawati and Mahathir also agreed
to cooperate in efforts to combat cross-border drug and people
trafficking.

The two leaders also addressed several bilateral problems such
as overlapping maritime and land boundary claims on Borneo
island, and the sensitive issue of illegal migrant workers from
Indonesia.

Mahathir told Megawati he did not want Indonesian workers to
enter Malaysia illegally, and she agreed, Syed Hamid said.

Regarding economic issues, both leaders agreed to develop the
ASEAN energy network, and Malaysia said it was considering the
importation of coal and natural gas from Indonesia.

In addition, Malaysian businesses in general were quite keen
to invest in Indonesia, especially after the rise of Megawati to
power so that there was greater political certainty and security
in Indonesia.

Mahathir told Megawati that Kuala Lumpur was "very happy" with
her assurance that the political situation was stable and had
returned to normal, Syed Hamid said.

"We have invested in plantations. But we are willing to
collaborate in other areas, like (Malaysia's state energy
company) Petronas to work with (Indonesian counterpart) Pertamina
in oil and gas concession areas.

"We will look at Indonesia as another good place to invest in
collaboration with Indonesia," Syed Hamid said.

Megawati was scheduled to hold a dialogue with the Indonesian
community here before flying back to Jakarta on Tuesday. (dja)