Speaking to newsmen at Halim Perdanakusuma airport here on Thursday before leaving for Thailand and Singapore, President Yudhoyono said Nipah island was the front line of the country in the light of cross-border crimes around Johor, Singapore, and Riau.
"Nipah island is our front line. It is a small island but is of high strategic importance for defence and shipping security along the waterway of Malaka Strait," he noted.
After concluding his working visit to Thailand and Singapore, President Yudhoyono will make his way to Nipah island by sea from Singapore.
"We will visit Nipah island by ship from Singapore," the head of state said.
In the company of First Lady Ani Yudhoyono, the president and his entourage have left for Thailand and Singapore, after which Yudhoyono will be in Nipah island on a working visit from May 31 until June 3.
In Bangkok, the President will be a speaker at the World Economic Forum on East Asia, and in Singapore he will be a keynote speaker at Shangri-La Dialogue which will discuss regional security and defence. (*)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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