JAKARTA, Oct 12 — The joint military posts of the Malaysian Armed Forces and the Indonesian National Armed Forces at the border of the two countries have been reactivated and are running smoothly following the suspension due to the Covid-19 pandemic, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
He is confident that border cooperation will further improve with the existing agreement, including the signing of agreements between Putrajaya and Jakarta covering aspects of cross-border as well as border trade.
“This is our current priority, to ensure that this shared border is managed well and efficiently so that the cooperation between both countries can be enhanced, and the results of this collaboration are for the benefit of the people in that area,” he said.
Mohamad spoke at a press conference after chairing the 43rd General Border Committee Malaysia-Indonesia (GBC Malindo) meeting with his Indonesian counterpart, Prabowo Subianto, here.
According to Mohamad, the GBC Malindo meeting needs to be continued to address security and socio-economic development issues at the border and to maintain a safe environment.
“The close relationship between Malaysia and Indonesia provides significant benefits to both countries in maintaining peace and security in the border region,” he said.
Mohamad and Prabowo are also determined to continue maintaining the good relations between the two countries, especially in strengthening cooperation to address challenges at the border.
“One important achievement to highlight is the successful coordination of joint patrols between the agencies of both countries through the coordinated control mechanism.
“We have taken this step to combat various cross-border crimes that threaten the safety and stability in the border area,” said Prabowo.
The meeting also discussed the progress achieved by the committees involved, such as the High Level Committee, Coordinated Operation Control Committee, Joint Training Work Committee, and other committees.
The 44th GBC Malindo meeting will be held in Malaysia next year. — Bernama
