To be held at Tanjungpinang's area of Riau Islands Province, this joint SAR exercise is deemed crucial for both nations' SAR agencies in their joint endeavor to anticipate aviation accidents that could take place at any time, he remarked.
To this end, the representatives of Indonesia and Singapore's SAR agencies discussed all requisite matters for preparing the joint drill at the "Sarex Coordination Meeting XXXVII/2019" in Batam City held from July 8 to July 12, he revealed.
The joint drill is part of the implementation of bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and Singapore that share a geographical proximity, and it is expected to improve the capabilities of both nations' SAR workers in handling disasters, Hamzar noted.
In the meantime, Director of Singapore's Air Traffic Service Division Rosly Md Saad emphasized that the rescue mission would remain his country's priority as a precautionary measure against untoward aviation accidents in the areas of both nations.
The bilateral cooperation, which has run for 36 years, is expected to intensify relations between the two countries' SAR agencies, he stated.
Indonesia's rescue workers have always upheld high levels of professionalism. Apart from Indonesia's reputable rescue team, the principle of safety first has strongly been vouched by Vice President Kalla.
Hence, that principle should constantly be prioritized as it, indeed, mirrors the interests of Indonesians and foreign visitors keen on travelling to cities and towns within the archipelago.
The need to maintain Indonesia's reputation in transport safety is paramount amid the Indonesian government's efforts to attract more foreign tourists to visit.
Referring to the Ministry of Tourism's statistical data, Australia, Japan, China, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, India, the United States, Taiwan, and European countries were the top 10 contributors of foreign tourists to Indonesia.
The governments of these countries are highly concerned and sentient of the safety of their citizens while traveling abroad. EDITED BY INE
Translator: Ogen, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Eliswan Azly
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
