‘Yes, Indonesians entered Sabah illegally’

JAKARTA: Indonesian police yesterday confirmed that a group of 17 Indonesian policemen, soldiers and civilians had been detained for illegally crossing into Malaysia on Sebatik Island.

“Where there are foreign force personnel crossing the border without permits, it of course draws attention,” said police spokesman Insp. Gen. Ronny F. Sompie in a report carried by the Jakarta Post.

Ronnie said that the group went there to pick up a suspected criminal and admitted that there had been a breach in the procedure as such proceedings that should have taken place at the border station.

“The case has been settled through coordination with the East Kalimantan Police,” he said.

The Indonesians were arrested when they attacked a police station to get a suspected killer on Sebatik Island. Fourteen of the Indonesians were military and police personnel and they were not in uniform.

The deputy inspector general of the Malaysian police, Noor Rashid Ibrahim, said they were being held for entering Malaysia illegally, and that they were acting on their own and not in any official capacity.

“These men were all of lower ranks and were there of their own accord. They were not instructed to bring the suspect back by any superior,” he said.
Noor Rashid said the 17 Indonesians would be investigated for entering the country illegally and for possession of firearms without permits. It is understood that eight pistols and four .38 Smith and Wesson revolvers were seized.

“We will take into consideration all aspects, including our good relations with Indonesia, as well as our country’s laws,” Noor Rashid said.

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