Jakarta - The Indonesian Navy is to give priority to the country's sea border areas in its security patrols in  2010, a spokesman said.

     "We will focus on securing Indonesia's sea border areas while continuing our efforts to expand our fleet," Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Agus Suhartono said here on Tuesday.

     He said his staff would intensify security patrols in several border areas,  namely the Malacca Strait and Philis Strait  adjacent to Malaysian and Singaporean territory respectively. The Navy  would also secure Indonesian sea borders around the Ambalat block.

     Agus said Indonesia had 92 outer islands  12 of which lay close to neighboring countries. Ronda island, for instance, lay close to India, while  Berhala, Nipah and Sekatung islands were located on or near the sea borders with Singapore. Their proximity to foreign territories made the islands potential sources of conflict with  neighboring countries.   

    "The existence of these outer islands will cause conflict if the navy does not handle security there properly," said Agus adding that the outer islands were important to Indonesia for they also functioned as references in identifying  Indonesia's sea borders.

     In order to be always ready to respond to emergency  situations, the navy was routinely conducting activities to secure Indonesia's outer islands and sea borders. The activities included surveillance of the seas around the  outer islands, hydro-graphic surveys and other operations designed to help development in the remote areas.

     However, Agus said, the navy was facing an obstacle to procure new weaponry including warships and airplanes as supporting parts of its efforts to protect Indonesian territory.

     "Fortunately these obstacles do not keep  the navy from performing its duties  to secure national border areas," he said adding that in  2010, the navy would begin to modernize its fleet by acquiring more fast patrol boats and surveillance airplanes. .

-Antara, 30 December 2009-