| By Andi Abdussalam |
Jakarta, Aug 24 (ANTARA) - An international law observer has reminded the government that Indonesia should not remain silent about violations of its territorial sovereignty committed by Malaysians. "Indonesia should act firmly and not ignore any violations committed by Malaysians of its territorial sovereignty. The action of Indonesia's maritime patrol officers in arresting Malaysian fishermen poaching in Indonesian waters was already correct," Prof Dr Suhaidi, international law observer at the North Sumatra University, said on Tuesday. However, Malaysian police did not respect the law in force in Indonesia as they came up to arrest the Indonesian maritime patrol officers. "Malaysia needs to respect the law which is in force in Indonesia," Suhaidi said. He said that in fact Malaysia had no right to interfere in the arrest because the Malaysian fishermen had allegedly been poaching in Indonesian territorial waters. Ironically, the Malaysian police had even fired at the Indonesian marine petrol boat. "Foreign police should not have interfered in the legal process carried out by the Indonesian patrol officers who arrested the Malaysian poachers," he said. Malaysia's latest action was seen by a legislator as a deliberate provocation to test how far Indonesia would react. "Malaysia did have the intention to create a disturbance in the border area as a test case," Rahadi Zakaria of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) faction in the House of Representatives (DPR) said. He said that Malaysia had repeatedly created test cases to see how far Indonesia was able to protect its territorial waters. Moreover, the latest test case by Malaysia was marked by hostage taking of Indonesian maritime patrol officers. The hostage taking of the Indonesian patrol officers was not a trivial matter but a serious problem which set a bad precedent, something that would encourage Malaysia with the support of its international backers (its Commonwealth partners and US neo-colonialist network) to become more and more aggressive. "It seems to me, after observing the repeated cases, Malaysia is becoming more and more daring. So, I think, Malaysia has the intention (to disturb) to create provocations in our waters, particularly in areas it thinks are rich in natural resources or commercially potential international lanes," Rahadi Zakaria said. After all, Indonesia's negligence in settling its border problems has been used by Malaysia to stage its test cases. This comes after it was successful in winning the case of Sipadan and Ligitan islands in the international court. Malaysia in the Sipadan and Ligitan case also began with provocations. "This continues to encourage Malaysia to disturb us. It has the target to take control of natural wealth and commercially potential international lanes," Rahadi Zakaria said. The question now was why the border conflict once again surfaces. "This is because they are trying to turn the case into an international issue even if it is trivial. They would even hope the matter could be brought to the International Court which is under the influence of the Commonwealth countries and the United States," he said. He said that the entry into the Indonesian territorial area of seven Malaysian fishermen to poach in the waters of Riau Islands was part of Malaysia's grand scenario to continue its provocations, particularly because the area was a potential international lane (Malacca Strait). "So, once again, I would like to stress that one can just consider this as a small case, yet there is a deliberate intention which is part of the grand scenario. This can be an initial test in an effort to gain control over the Malacca Strait, natural resources and hidden sunken ship treasures in the waters of the area," he said. Fayakhun Andiradi of the House of Representatives (DPR)'s Commission I on defense affairs shared Rahadi Zakaria's opinion. Fayakhun believed that neighboring countries had often launched provocations in border areas. In this regard, he suggested that the government fulfill the military's Minimum Essential Force (MEF) concept and realize it soon to defend the country's honor. "If this continues to be ignored it will cause the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI) to suffer from lack of armaments, low quality and quantity, particularly in the face of various provocations both from within and outside," he said. He said the MEF concept was an urgent need, not something to that could be met six years from now. "This is a matter of the nation's honor which has been trampled on by neighboring countries," he said. Fayakhun said there were many provocative maneuvers in the border areas but Indonesia was not able to respond to them with at least equally balanced maneuvers. "This is because we feel we are outclassed in terms of armaments (MEF). In the Soekarno and Soeharto eras, we never experienced this and no one had the guts to snap at us," he said.***4*** |
Selasa, 24 Agustus 2010
RI SHOULD NOT REMAIN SILENT OVER MALAYSIA'S VIOLATIONS
Senin, 16 Agustus 2010
DEMOCRATS PARTY LEADER CALLS FOR PROTEST AGAINST MALAYSIA
| By Andi Abdussalam |
Jakarta, Aug 16 (ANTARA) - A ruling political party leader has urged the government to lodge a strong protest against Malaysia over the arrest of three Indonesian maritime patrol officers, an act seen by a House deputy speaker as arrogant and provocative. "We don't like to raise a fuss and create tension in the international world, let alone if it is with a neighboring country like Malaysia, but in many cases Malaysia has often shown attitudes of disrespect to Indonesia," ruling Democrats Party (PD) chairman Anas Urbaningrum said on Monday. He was responding to the arrest by Malaysian police of three Indonesian patrol officers in the waters of Riau Islands province on Friday. It was reported that the three Indonesian patrol officers were arrested after they had nabbed a Malaysian fishing vessel and seven crew members who were allegedly poaching in the waters of Bintan Island, Riau Islands province. "We cannot let this case go unheeded because this is an act bordering on provocation," DPR Deputy Speaker Priyo Budi Santoso said meanwhile. He said the Malaysian police's action in arresting three Indonesian officers is an arrogant and provocative act. The politician said if the arrest was not reacted to it was feared that it would tarnish the image of Indonesia as a sovereign nation. Priyo said that as a people's representative on political and security affairs he felt he was belittled by the Malaysian police's act. "The arrested Indonesians were officers in uniform and were doing their patrolling task in Indonesian border areas. This indicates an arrogant act by the Malaysian police which is almost like a provocation," Priyo said. According to ruling PD party chairman Anas Urbaningrum, Malaysia had often shown little respect towards Indonesia. That's why on the latest case, he said, his side was of the view that Indonesia had to lodge a strong protest with the Malaysian government. Anas said that efforts to release and send back to Indonesia the three patrol officers should soon be made while the note of protest was expected to serve as a lesson for Malaysia that neighborly nations should respect each other as equally sovereign parties. "It should not happen that Malaysia would continue to belittle the Indonesian sovereignty only because we do not like to kick a fuss. A strong note of protest should therefore be lodged soon," he said. He said that other steps such as freezing diplomatic ties or even waging a war were not yet in "our mind at present" but Indonesia must show its firm stance and position in the international affairs. "War is not an option but we need to affirm our dignity and make clear our position in international affairs. We don't want war but we are forced into it, so be it," Anas said. According to Priyo Budi Santoso, Indonesia needs to take retaliatory action by on occasion also arresting and detaining Malaysian officers to see how Kuala Lumpur would react. The Malaysian officers should be detained for several days. "Then we wait and see how Malaysia reacts," the House deputy speaker said. He said being the greater nation Indonesia should have no difficulty in making Malaysia aware of the consequences it could face if it continued its harassment. But so far, the government was still giving priority to diplomatic channels to resolve the case. Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto said that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono wanted the case to be solved through peaceful means, particularly through diplomatic channels. Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa said his ministry was doing its best to secure the release of the arrested Indonesian patrol officers. "The sooner they can come home, the better," he said in response to journalists' question about whether the foreign ministry had a timeline for the three Indonesians' release. In the meantime, Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Minister Fadel Muhammad said three of his officers arrested by Malaysian sea police recently would be repatriated within the next two days. "The Malaysian authorities have promised to set free our officers within two days. I have also sent my deputy to Johor Baru to check the three officers' condition," said Fadel here on Monday. According to information from his deputy, Fadel said, the three arrested officers were in good condition. He also expressed optimism that the problem regarding the arrest of the three would be solved soon without any further complications. The three patrol officers were Asriadi (40), Erwan (37) and Seivo Grevo Wewengkang (26). They were arrested when they intercepted the Malaysian fishing vessel which was poaching in the Indonesian waters of Riau Islands province. However, Fadel admitted he did not know the legal status being imposed by the Malaysian authorities on the Indonesian officers. "We still have no information on their legal status until today," the minister told the press Monday. He expressed optimism that the three would be released soon because from the legal point of view the three Indonesian officers were not guilty. He also said the government would soon make clear the borderlines between Indonesia and Malaysia following the arrest of Indonesian patrol officers. "Following the incident we will arrange and make clear the borderlines between Indonesia and Malaysia," the minister. So far the borderlines between Indonesia and Malaysia were not yet clear, particularly in their water areas. According to Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, Indonesia and Malaysia have yet to agree on their sea borders so that incidents such as that of August 13 could occur. "Negotiations have not yet started and no agreements on land and sea borders has been made by Indonesia and Malaysia," he said. Therefore, Indonesia would soon negotiate its territorial borders, including the sea border, with Malaysia, he said. ***1*** |