usman harun, navy ship, indonesia, singapore, confrontation, malaysia
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The naming of Indonesian Navys newest ship Usman Harun has been through procedures, spokesman to Indonesian Navy First Marshall Untung Suropati said here on Thursday.

"We depict the name from two Indonesian national heroes," Untung said.

As to a protest from Singapore government regarding the name Usman Harun, Untung said that it was not his capacity to comment on the issue. "I think the Foreign Affairs Ministry which must address the issue," he said.

Earlier Singapores Straits Times media reported Singapore has registered its concerns over Indonesia's naming of a navy ship after two Indonesian marines who took part in the 1965 bombing of MacDonald House on Orchard Road.

Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) spokesman said on Wednesday night that Foreign Minister K Shanmugam spoke to his Indonesian counterpart, Dr Marty Natalegawa, to register these concerns "and the impact this would have on the feelings of Singaporeans, especially the families of the victims".

"The two Indonesian marines were found guilty of the bombing which killed three people and injured 33 others," the MFA spokeman said in response to media queries.

"Singapore had considered this difficult chapter in the bilateral relationship closed in May 1973 when then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew visited and scattered flowers on the graves of the two marines," he added.

The duo were members of Indonesia's special Operations Corps Command, which is today the Marine Corps, and had been ordered to infiltrate Singapore during Indonesia's Confrontation with Malaysia.

Then-president Sukarno had opposed the formation of Malaysia, which Singapore was part of from September 1963 to August 1965, as a puppet state of the British.

Both marines were convicted and executed in Singapore in 1968 for the March 10, 1965 bombing of MacDonald House, which stands near where Dhoby Ghaut MRT station is today.

Their hanging caused tense in Indonesia-Singapore bilateral ties for several years. The marines were welcomed home as heroes, and given a ceremonial funeral at the Kalibata Heroes Cemetery in South Jakarta.

Relations between Singapore and Indonesia were restored when Mr Lee Kuan Yew visited Jakarta in 1973, and sprinkled flowers on the marines' graves.(*)

Reporter: Amie Fenia Arimbi
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2014