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Row with Singapore escalates as TNI chief defends Usman and Harun
In the latest volley in the ongoing quarrel between the two nations, Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Gen
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I
n the latest volley in the ongoing quarrel between the two nations, Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Gen. Moeldoko warned Singapore to stop regarding Second Sgt. Usman bin Haji Muhammad Ali and Second Cpl. Harun bin Said, the two marines after whom a Navy ship was recently named, as terrorists.
The recent christening of the Navy corvette KRI Usman-Harun 359 has drawn strong protest from Singapore, which has condemned Indonesia for reopening the dark memory of the deadly bombing carried out by the two marines against civilians in the city-state in 1965.
"I cannot accept it if Usman and Harun are represented as terrorists. They were marines. They were state actors," Moeldoko told the press on the sidelines of a closed-door meeting with lawmakers from the House of Representatives Commission I overseeing defense and foreign affairs.
Moeldoko emphasized that the TNI was firm in its decision to name the ship after the two marines and would resist any foreign intervention that would harm Indonesia's sovereignty.
"Basically, we are willing to cooperate with anybody, but we will not bend when it comes to the sovereignty of the country," he said.
Usman, whose real name was Janatin, and Harun, whose real name was Tohir bin Mandar, were tasked with infiltrating Singapore during the confrontation with newly independent Malaysia in the 1960s.
Both were found guilty of carrying out the MacDonald House bombing, which killed three people and injured 33 others, and were executed in Singapore in 1968.
Tension between Indonesia and Singapore over the matter has mounted, with the Singaporean government suddenly canceling a scheduled bilateral defense meeting and withdrawing an invitation of TNI officers to attend the Singapore Airshow that is set to kick off at the Changi Exhibition Centre on Tuesday.
The withdrawal of the invitation moved all Indonesian defense officials to cancel their plan to attend the airshow, during which the Indonesian Air Force's Jupiter Aerobatic is scheduled to be displayed.
"We will go on with the plan to display the Jupiter Aerobatic in the show. But, we are ready to withdraw if we are not given time to do so," Moeldoko said.
