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Indonesia and Malaysia Reject Presence of Foreign Military Fleet in Malacca Straits
Wednesday, 23 June, 2004 | 14:49 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The Indonesian and Malaysian authorities have agreed to reject the presence of a foreign military fleet in the Malacca Straits.

Both authorities held a meeting at the Kuta Paradiso Hotel, Bali, on Tuesday (22/06) to discuss the implementation of this agreement.

The chairman of the Indonesian delegation, Maj. Gen. TNI Adam Damiri, said that plans have been made to apply the Maritime Regional Security Initiative (MRSI)in the area and prevent acts of terrorism from developing.

Responding to this, he said that both the Malaysian and Indonesian authorities, who are responsible for security in the Malacca Straits, felt the necessity to form a joint security strategy.

“Moreover, we have agreed to refuse the presence of any foreign fleet in the Straits area,” said Damiri.

The forming of this joint strategy is also aimed at denying assumptions that crimes are likely to take place in the Malacca Straits.

According to intelligence data, the traffic of trading ships in the area has increased.

According to Indonesian Military (TNI) Information Center spokesman, Col. CAJ Ahmad Yani Basuki, the rejection of the presence of the foreign fleet in the Straits does not mean that Malaysia and Indonesia will ban foreign military ships from entering the Straits.

However, those ships must first go through the required international procedures and will not be allowed to carry out operationd in the Straits area.

Indonesian and Malaysian authorities will be the only parties with responsibility over security matters in the Malacca Straits.(Rofiqi Hasan – Tempo News Room)