Malaysia Apologizes for Chopper`s Mistaken Landing on Indonesia`s Sebatik Island

Jakarta (Antara Bali) -- Malaysias Sabah Air Aviation has conveyed an apology to the Indonesian Consulate General in Kinabalu for wrongly landing its helicopter on Indonesias Sebatik Island, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said.

"They said the chopper was owned by private company Sabah Air Aviation. The pilot and the company conveyed their apology to the Indonesian Consulate General in Kinabalu," Spokesman for the Foreign Affairs Ministry Arrmanatha Nasir stated here on Tuesday.

Following the incident, the ministry had communicated with Deputy Ambassador of Malaysia to Indonesia Roseli Abdul.

It had expressed concern over the incident wherein a Malaysian helicopter had landed without permission on a helipad in Indonesias Sebatik Island in Nunukan, North Kalimantan, on June 28.

The Malaysian diplomat explained that the helicopter had landed on a helipad in Sebatik Island as the pilot thought it was Malaysian territory.

The chopper had initially tried to locate a helipad in Malaysias Sebatik region, but the helipad there was inundated and not visible.

When they realized they had landed on the wrong helipad, they took off immediately.

"Realizing that it was the wrong helipad, they took off immediately. The helicopter had still been running after landing," he remarked.

Malaysian Home Affairs Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had been aboard the chopper, heading for a working visit to Sungai Melayu in the Malaysian part of Sebatik.

In addition, according to information obtained from the Tarakan Airbase, Malaysian warships had recently been spotted illegally entering the waters of Ambalat in the district of Nunukan on nine occasions. They had to be warned before they turned back.

Vice President Jusuf M. Kalla has questioned the incidents of border violations of the Malaysian warships, which were spotted entering the Indonesian waters of Ambalat without permission.

"We will certainly question the intentions of the Malaysian warships, which had been spotted entering the Indonesian waters of Ambalat illegally. We will submit a protest," Kalla affirmed. (WDY)