Govt to Build 17 Posts to Strengthen Border Security
18 December 2014 10:30 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Balikpapan – The government will build 17 additional border posts in Nunukan, Simenggaris, Malinau and West Kutai due to the lacking security and poor means of communications in the areas.
The construction of the posts, which will be carried out using funds from the 2015 State Budget, aims at boosting security in border areas—on the order of President Joko Widodo, who visited a number of border posts in Kalimantan on Tuesday.
There are currently 33 posts on Indonesia’s borders with neighboring Malaysia in Kalimantan that secure a total area of 1,035 km. The security involves 892 military personnel from the Mulawarman Military Command (Kodam) and the Army's Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad).
Kodam Mulawarman commander Maj. Gen. Benny Indra Pujihastono explained the president said that multiple problems were besetting border areas, including the lack of infrastructure and poor communication facilities and logistic supplies.
According to Benny, the Indonesia-Malaysia’s border is one of the entrances for drug smuggling in eastern Indonesia. He said amplifying border security was crucial as the security authorities had repeatedly caught drug smugglers who attempted to sneak into the nation through border areas.
SG WIBISONO