Government To Build Three Military Headquarters In Border Areas

Nunukan, N Kalimantan, March 31 (Antara) - The Indonesian government has decided to build three military headquarters in the frontier area of North Kalimantan bordering on Malaysia. The military headquarters would be built in Long Nawang of Malinau District, and Long Midang and Tau Lumbis in Nunukan District, North Kalimantan Governor Governor Irianto Lambrie said here Thursday. The plan was confirmed after a visit here of a senior official from the Coordinating Ministry of Law, Security and Political Affairs, the governor said. The Central Government has given a priority to the plan, he said after a visit on Wednesday of Secretary of Deputy for State Defense Coordination Rear Admiral Semi Djoni Putra. The government through the Coordinating Ministry of Law, Security and Political Affairs would soon station military soldiers at the frontier areas, Irianto said. Semi Djoni Putra said, after hearing information from the Regional Development Planning Board and the North Kalimantan Border Bureau, a priority was given for construction of military headquarters in the three locations. The three locations were selected as they were quite vulnerable in security defense, he said. "The plan to place military soldiers in border areas would be made by phases starting with the three locations where defense is quite vulnerable," he said. It is not possible to carry out the plan at once given the condition and the availability of personnel, he said. The realization of the plan this year followed coordination with related agencies mainly the Forestry and Environment Ministry as the military headquarters would be built in protected forest areas, he added. The present government has shown greater attention to modernization of frontier areas by building infrastructure to facilitate economic development. The country shares long borders with Malaysia in Kalimantan, with Papua New Guinea in Papua and East Timor in Timor island.