TNI KEEPING CONSTANT WATCH ON BORDER REGIONS

Jakarta, Feb. 12 (ANTARA) - National Defense Forces (TNI) Chief General Djoko Santoso said the TNI was keeping an eye on the country's border regions to prevent them from being used as terrorist entry gates or hideouts.
"The possibility still exists and it could happen, so we remain vigilant," the TNI Chief said after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to revitalize family planning programs between the TNI and the National Family Planning Coordinating Agency (BKKBN) here on Thursday.
The TNI Chief said the TNI had intensified security measures in the country's border regions despite its limited budget.
"One of the TNI's main tasks is to protect the country's land, sea and air borders," he said.
Earlier, Major General Hotma Marbun of the Army said that Indonesia had 33 border patrol posts in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province which shares a border with East Timor; 25 border patrol posts in East Kalimantan Province which shares a border with Sabah State of Malaysia; 31 border patrol posts in West Kalimantan Province which shares a border with Sarawak State of Malaysia; and 114 border patrol posts in Irian (Papua) Island which shares a border with Papua New Guinea (PNG).
At marine borders, the Indonesian Navy had a number of war ships, especially in Ambalat waters which shares a border with Malaysia.
To protect the country's air space, the Indonesian Air Force has about 16 radars from Sabang, Indonesia's western most province of Aceh, to Merauke, the country's eastern most province of Papua.
One of Indonesia'a major newspapers on Thursday morning reported in its headline that border areas between Indonesia and neighboring countries were almost neglected. A strong and integrated security system was not being implemented. Consequently, border areas had become a haven for high-profile criminal syndicates which could harm Indonesia itself, the Indonesian language daily said.***4***