TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro has pledged to station more Indonesian military (TNI) personnel in Nunukan District, North Kalimantan, bordering Malaysia, by forming an infantry brigade of the Armys Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad).
"We will station more TNI personnel in the border areas of North Kalimantan Province by creating a battalion of Kostrads infantry brigade in Nunukan District," he said while visiting the Bulungan Cakti infantry brigade station recently, as quoted by Antara News.
The presence of a Kostrad battalion in Nunukan District will facilitate the development of a sustainable state defense initiative in border areas and will eventually boost the local economy and promote the welfare of the local people, he stated.
He pledged to increase the number of TNI personnel along the Indonesia-Malaysia borders in North Kalimantan Province, particularly in Nunukan or Sebatik Island as part of efforts to protect the sovereignty of the Unitary Republic of Indonesia.
To date, North Kalimantan Province has two battalions. They are the 613/Raja Ampat infantry battalion in Tarakan City and the Bulungan Cakti infantry brigade in Bulungan District. The government plans to build a battalion in Nunukan District, North Kalimantan, soon.
"The (plan to) add a TNI battalion in North Kalimantan Province (has been outlined in) an important note that we will deliver to the central government," he said.
Responding to the plan to form the battalion, Assistant II of the North Kalimantan provincial government Syaiful Herman warmly welcomed it, hoping it would accelerate development activities and boost economic growth in border areas.
ANTARA | M RUSMAN | INE
