NAVY STEPPING UP SEA BORDER SECURITY TO ANTICIPATE TERRORIST THREATS

Jakarta, Aug 23 (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) is stepping up security in the country's sea borders to anticipate terrorist threats, a naval officer said.

In the western part of Indonesia, the Navy was coordinating with the Malaysian and Thai navies to detect terrorist threats in its sea bordering the two countries, Naval Chief of Staff Admiral Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno said here on Sunday.

"In the eastern part, TNI AL is coordinating with the Malaysian and Philippine navies. These are all designed to detect and prevent as early as possible terrorist threats," he said.

He said the Navy had yet to receive any report of terrorist threat in the Indonesian waters bordering the neighboring states.

"After all, we cannot be inattentive. Besides security approaches, we also have mobilized our components, namely maritime defense officers assigned to nurture the public and tap information leading to the existence of terrorist threat," he said.

Despite limited budget, the Indonesian military (TNI) had always intensified its security particularly in the Indonesian areas bordering other countries, he said.

Earlier, assistant for operations to the Army chief of staff Maj. Gen. Hotma Marbun said currently there are 33 security posts in the East Nusa Tenggara-Timor Leste borders, 25 security posts the East Kalimantan-Sabah (Malaysia) borders, 31 security posts in the west Kalimantan-Serawak (Malaysia) borders and 114 security posts in the Indonesian-Papua New Guinea borders.

In the country's sea borders, the Navy also deployed a number of its warships, particularly in Ambalat off the East Kalimantan coast.***4***
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