Nunukan (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian military guarding the border area with Malaysia in the regency of Nunukan, East Kalimantan, is tightening control in the frontier area against possible disruption of security as a result of conflict in Malaysian`s Sabah state across the border with the incursion of an armed group from the Sulu Sultanate in Southern Philippines.

Commander of the border military task force Major Ari Aryanto in Nunukan, on Monday said the conflict already claimed lives, therefore, the Indonesian military has to tighten security control in the frontier area.

All security guard posts have to be always on the alert against possible undesired condition, Ari Aryanto said here on Monday.

He said 23 of 29 guard posts are located on the border with Malaysia`s Sabah.

"All soldiers in the guard posts have been ordered to remain on guard to prevent foreign soldiers from entering the Indonesian territory," he said.

He did not rule out the possibility of the conflict from spreading closer to the border area disturbing security in Indonesian territory in the Nunukan regency.

"We will remain on guard for 24 hours a day with patrols intensified including at night," he said.

He said last weekend he received information about an armed group from the Philippines moved closer to the Indonesian-Malaysian border to attack the Malaysian border guards.

The border areas that are feared to be penetrated by the fighting foreign soldiers are the Islands of Sebatik and Seimenggaris , where there are many unguarded roads, he said.

"The fighting soldiers could easily entered the Indonesian territory as both Sebatik and Seimenggaris, which share the border with Sabah," he said.

The military border guards have monitored all roads earlier left unguarded , he said.

The Indonesian border guards have been ready to meet any possibility along the border line,he said. (*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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