Indonesian Navy Asks Singapore to Stop Reclamation
Thursday, 22 February, 2007 | 12:42 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The Indonesian Navy is urging Singapore to end its coastal reclamation because this threatens the sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia.

Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy Admiral Slamet Soebijanto said he was concerned that the alteration of Singapore’s coastlines would affect the calculation of the borders of the exclusive economic zone of Nipah and Batam Islands.

“So, do not base calculations on today’s sand-fill,” said Slamet Soebijanto at the VIP exit of Hang Nadim Airport, Batam, yesterday (02/21).

For the time being, the Indonesian Navy is sending out six ships in order to prevent the sea-sand trading regulations from being violated.

“Sand mining has been prohibited. So, it will be illegal should anyone take sand away,” he said.

Yesterday, Slamet arrived in Batam to oversee the installation of 12 radar-observer ships at the Malacca Straits.

The House of Representatives (DPR) was also worried that sea-borders issue could becomes a bargaining point for Singapore in discussing the extradition agreement.

Therefore, the DPR has urged the Indonesian government to determine the Indonesia-Malaysia territorial waters as soon as possible.

“The Indonesian legal team must not weaken and then lose,” said DPR Speaker Agung Laksono at the Parliamentary complex.

Agung Laksono has called on the Department of Defense and the Department of Foreign Affairs to anticipate the worst possibility.

RUMBADI DALLE | ERWIN DARYANTO