If there was a violation in the Ambalat area, we will certainly lodge a protest."Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian foreign ministry will soon lodge a protest with Malaysia against an alleged border violation in Ambalat area, after it receives complete data and report from the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) headquarters.
"For every incident of violation, if we have the complete data regarding its geographical coordinates, etc., we will surely follow up with a note of protest," Foreign Affairs Minister Retno LP Marsudi stated at the presidential palace complex, here, Tuesday.
The foreign minister has requested detailed data from TNI Commander General Moeldoko regarding the geographical coordinates where the border violation occurred.
"If there was a violation in the Ambalat area, we will certainly lodge a protest," she remarked.
Recently, Vice President Jusuf M. Kalla questioned the border violations carried out by Malaysian warships, which were spotted illegally entering the Indonesian waters of Ambalat.
"We will certainly question the intentions of the Malaysian warships, which had been spotted illegally entering the Indonesian waters of Ambalat. We will protest it," Kalla stated.
The vice president noted that the Indonesian government will settle the problem amicably.
"We will solve the border problems through negotiations," he emphasized.
According to information obtained from the Tarakan airbase, Malaysian warships had been spotted illegally entering the Indonesian waters of Ambalat in the district of Nunukan on nine occasions, and they had to be warned before they turned back.
In connection with the allegations that Australia had bribed crew members of a vessel carrying asylum seekers, Minister Retno said she had read a letter regarding the matter from her Australian counterpart.
The minister remarked that the letter did not directly explain nor did it respond to questions posed by the Indonesian government.
Based on the investigation conducted by Rote Police, certain boat skippers and crew members had confessed to having received money from Australia.
"So we speak based on the results of these investigations," she affirmed.
On the prevention of MERS virus, the minister noted that the implementation of preventive measures came under the authority of the health ministry.
"From time to time, I have personally coordinated with the health minister," she remarked.
Since the beginning of the MERS outbreak, the Indonesian foreign ministry has issued a travel advisory, she added.
"It is general in nature. Later, we will update the advice from time to time. But the most important aspect is to implement preventive measures in Indonesia under the authority of the health minister," she stated.
(Uu.F001/INE/KR-BSR/A014)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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