Natuna Needs Military Bases: Mily Chief

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has instructed the National Defense Forces (TNI) to build military bases on Natuna Islands, according to TNI Chief General Gatot Nurmantyo.

"We will build several military bases there. But we need to reactivate, for instance, the Ranai air bases runway. It needs to be expanded. There needs to be jet fighters there and ground support equipment for jet fighters," Gatot said at the TNI Headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, on Monday.

President Jokowi has stated that the government will give priority to the development of several areas in Natuna in Riau Islands province, Morotai in North Maluku province, Biak in Papua province and Saumlaki-Selaru in Maluku province.

The TNI chief further said the development of the areas will begin at the end of 2016, adding there should be progress in this development during 2017.

In addition, the government will also build piers at which Indonesian warships can call, to secure the countrys waterways, he said.

Nurmantyo noted that the government needs to increase the number of radar stations to monitor all border areas.

On June 23, 2016 President Jokowi called a limited meeting on Natuna Islands to discuss economic development in the area.

The meeting was attended by Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti, National Development Planning Minister Sofyan Djalil, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung and TNI Chief General Gatot Nurmantyo. (WDY)