TNI sets up in Strait of Mallaca

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post/Medan

The Bukit Barisan military command, overseeing security in North Sumatra, Riau and West Sumatra, plans to establish three new district military commands (Koramil) in areas considered hot spots of smuggling activities.

The three Koramil units are to be set up on the islands of Tanjung Balai Karimun, Natuna and Matang, Bukit Barisan military commander Maj. Gen. Tri Tamtomo said.

He said the planned Koramil offices were crucial in fighting unchecked smuggling on the three islands near the Strait of Malacca.

Smuggling activities on the Tanjung Balai Karimun, Natuna and Matang islands had reached very alarming levels and could pose a threat to security in the area, Tri added.

"The areas are rife with smuggling and infiltration. The three new Koramil units will be operative in 2005," Tri told journalists on Tuesday after presiding over a ceremony marking the 59th anniversary of the Indonesian Military (TNI) at Benteng Square in Medan, North Sumatra.

He said the Koramil plans did not contravene the new military bill endorsed last week by the House of Representatives, as the bill allowed the military to establish district commands in areas rife with criminal activity.

During its deliberation, the controversial bill drew strong criticism from pro-democracy and human rights activists for maintaining the TNI's territorial role in regions.

Under former president Soeharto's regime, the military had used its territorial function to stifle democracy and human rights.

Tri said the Army had teamed up with the Navy and Air Force to conduct regular operations against smuggling on Sumatra.

Belawan Naval Base commander Rear Adm. Purbojo said the Strait of Malacca was highly vulnerable to smuggling activities.

"The Malacca Strait is the most crowded waterway for foreign ships, and the potential for smuggling is immense. But the security forces here have been integrated, and we are constantly operating together at sea," he said.

Local aerial defense chief Vice Marshal Irawan Supomo made a similar comment, saying his unit had continually implemented various measures to curb smuggling, focusing on surveillance.

He said the unit had often detected several foreign military aircraft entering Indonesian territory, particularly North Sumatra, but stressed they had requested permission to fly through Indonesian air space.

"None of the foreign military aircraft could be said to have infiltrated our space," Irawan said.

He said Australian Air Force planes frequently crossed over North Sumatran air space to fly to Malaysia.