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*** (T.A014/A/HAJM/18:20/a014) 16-08-2010 18:21: