KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia-Indonesia military cooperation will not be jeopardised by the recent kidnapping of five Sarawakians by the Indonesian military.
Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu said ties between both countries remain close and that any problems can be resolved at the negotiation table.
“The incident does not have any effect on our (Malaysia-Indonesia) relationship. Our (Malaysia) relationship with Indonesia is close. All problems can be resolved at the negotiation table.
“Bilateral relations especially on military (cooperation) is very good. No major disputes have arisen from this incident,” he said.
He was addressing a press conference on the sidelines of the Ex-Servicemen Affairs Corporation (Perhebat) 52nd convocation here today.
Also present were Deputy Defence Minister Liew Chin Tong and Armed Forces Chief General Tan Sr Zulkifli Zainal Abidin, among others.
In an exclusive report today, the New Sunday Times revealed that five Malaysians were abducted by the Indonesian military at the Serian-Kalimantan border on Dec 11.
The victims, aged between 15 and 64, were held at gunpoint, bundled into a pickup, roughed up and kidnapped for ransom, allegedly by members of the Indonesian army who had encroached on Malaysian territory.
The victims were harvesting wood at the Wong Rangkai forest near Kampung Danau Melikin, 400m from the Serian-Kalimantan border, around noon when they were approached by two men in battle fatigues.
The two were armed with 5.56mm Pindad SS-1 assault rifles, the standard primary weapon of Tentera Nasional Indonesia (TNI).
NSU has learnt that the five were allegedly ambushed at the site, located near the WFM Melikin oil palm estate in Balai Ringin. The victims have all been released since then.