TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Government has called upon Deputy Malaysian Ambassador, Roseli Abdul, to deliver protest letter in relation to territory breach at Sebatik Island, North Borneo, on Sunday June 28. The protest letter came after foreign Ministry verified reports on territorial breach and illegal helicopter landing in Sebatik island, at Aji Kuning border post.

Octavino Alimudin from the foreign ministry told the press on Tuesday that border post saw Malaysian chopper passing the border and briefly landing, before leaving the area. “It was a brief event, but no doubt that it was in Indonesian turf,” said Octavino.

Edi Yusup, Director of East Asia and Pacific from the Ministry, said that Roseli has yet to receive official information from Kuala Lumpur. “However, he received information that Sabah Air Aviation has apologized to our Consulate General Office in Kinabalu, Sabah,” said Edi.

Malaysian ambassador, Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamed Hashim, added that the incident was purely a sort of misunderstanding. “Pilot had intended to land in Malaysian turf. However, pilot missed the landing spot due to hard rain,” Ambassador Zahrain told Tempo on Tuesday, June 30.

ADITYA BUDIMAN