INDONESIAN POLICEMAN ARRESTED FOR ROBBING MERCHANT SHIP

KUALA LUMPUR, March 11 (Bernama) -- The Indonesian policeman from Batam who
was injured and arrested after a shootout with Malaysian police three weeks ago
had robbed a merchant ship anchored off Kuala Sedili, Kota Tinggi.

Kota Tinggi is a small town in the state of Johor of Malaysia, located
around 42 kilometers north-east of Johor Bahru.

Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan said an Indonesian newspaper
report that the policeman was shot and arrested for trespassing was inaccurate.

"They shot at us first. We had to return fire at the speed boat in self
defence. The armed men had earlier robbed a Singapore merchant ship," he said.

Meanwhile, Marine Commander SACII Isa Munir said the inaccurate report was
aimed at damaging the good Malaysia-Indonesia ties.

"The newspaper report said that a senior officer with the rank of Brigadier
General was arrested when he was only a low ranked policeman," he told Bernama
here Tuesday.

On Feb 7, marine police arrested seven "pirates" in a shootout after they
had robbed the merchant ship "Majulah Jasmin" off Kuala Sedili, Kota Tinggi.

The Batam Pos newspaper reported that a police officer known only by the
initials 'ZJ' was arrested by marine police for trespassing into Malaysian
waters near Kampung Sedili Kecil, Kota Tinggi.

It claimed that Malaysian police thought that the Indonesian policemen had
robbed a merchant ship.

-- BERNAMA