Leopard main battle tanks are desperately needed to safeguard border areas in Kalimantan, a military commander has said.

Pangdam VI (Commander of Military Area VI) Mulawarman, Maj.Gen.Dicky Wainal Usman, said in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, on Saturday, that border areas in Kalimantan were very vulnerable, particularly to security-related issues, because Kalimantan had several points that shared borders with neighboring countries Malaysia and Singapore.

'€œIllegal logging, illegal mining and illegal fishing remain major problems along the border areas. Outsiders seem to be obsessed with taking every available resource along our border areas. With the Leopard tanks, enemies would have to consider it again and again before doing so,'€ said Dicky in a journalist visit at the 623 Bhakti Wira Utama Infantry Battalion headquarters in Sungai Ulin, Banjarbaru, as quoted by Antara news agency.

He said the presence of the Leopard tanks would strengthen the primary weapons defense system owned by the Mulawarman Military District Command (Kodam). He said the district command now had only reconnaissance vehicles or light tanks such as the Scorpion and AMX.

'€œAt least, one company (eight units) of Leopard tanks could hopefully be deployed in Kalimantan,'€ said Dicky.

He said the Kodam Mulawarman would soon receive a unit of Multi Launcher Rocket System (MLRS). An Army aviation squadron, supported by four combat helicopters and four transportation helicopters, had been established as well.

Dicky further explained that the Indonesian Military'€™s (TNI) Kodam Mulawarman had also prepared one cavalry battalion. Previously, the Military command had only a cavalry detachment.

The Kodam Mulawarman has increased the number of Indonesia-Malaysia joint posts to safeguard the border areas.

"The posts are needed to narrow efforts to remove poles placed to determine the border between the two countries and to drive away illegal loggers who mostly come from Malaysia." (ebf)

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