RI to host shooting event for armies

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesia will host a shooting competition for armies from Southeast Asian countries here next week.

The armies of the 10 member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are expected to take part in the eight-day competition, which will run from Sept. 1 to Sept. 8 at the Cilodong Shooting Range.

The competition will be the highlight of the fifth ASEAN Chief of Army Multilateral Meeting (ACAMM), which will be hosted at the Hotel Hilton from Sept. 5 to Sept. 7.

ACAMM aims at developing good relations and cooperation among ASEAN armies to help build confidence and security in the region.

The head of the Indonesian Army's information division, Brig. Gen. HMP Pandjaitan, said that some 500 officers from the region would participate in the annual shooting event, called the ASEAN Armies Rifle Meet (AARM).

The competition will be held on four shooting ranges at the Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) in Cilodong, West Java.

Pandjaitan said the host would aim to emerge as the overall champion, though he predicted tough competition from Thailand and Singapore.

"As the host of the 14th AARM event, I hope our athletes can win this tournament," he announced at a press conference here on Tuesday.

"The Indonesian Army will compete strenuously against archrivals Thai and Singaporean armies," he said. Singapore was the host of last year's AARM.

ASEAN consists of Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippine, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.