Indonesia to Build Military Bases in Natuna

Jakarta, 26 Ramadan 1437/1 July 2016 (MINA) – Indonesia Minister of Defense, Ryamizard Ryacudu said Indonesia is going to build a military base in Natuna islands to safeguard the sovereignty and assert the rule of law.

“It has been planned since September 2015, starting with the policy of the Minister of Defense, then to be followed up by the TNI Commander,” he said on Friday. Antara reported.

Following the instruction of President Joko Widodo to safeguard the sovereignty and assert the rule of law in Natuna Islands, the TNI chief Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo as executor in building several military bases in the region, including infrastructure development, one of them is the extension of the Ranai Airbase runway.

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“Indonesia needs to put the fighter there. We also need to ground supporting equipment for the fighter there,” said Gatot.

By starting the process of development in 2016, a number of areas in Natuna, Morotai, Biak, and Saumlaki-Selaru, those are already developed in 2017.

According to Gatot, the government needs to build a military dock, so it can serve RI warships to keep radar to monitor around the border areas.

Natuna Islands region directly adjacent to Malaysia, Vietnam, and Cambodia, as well as becoming the main global shipping lines, especially for ships bound for Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea.

Natuna development becomes a priority for the governments of Indonesia, not only to be an Indonesia’s leading veranda, but also to make Indonesia as the world’s maritime axis. (LP/P008/R03)

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Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)