During his visit, Hadi also had a closed-door meeting with Riau Islands acting governor Isdianto and a number of senior military officers, including the newly appointed commander for Kogabwilhan Command I in Tanjung Pinang, Vice Adm. Yudo Margono.

Isdianto handed over a 20-hectare plot of land in Tanjung Pinang's Dompak to build a home base for the Joint Defense Area Command I -- the construction of which, according to Hadi, would begin early next year. The Riau Islands administration has also earmarked another 20-hectare plot of land in Senggarang to build infrastructure to support Kogabwilhan operations.

Kogabwilhan I will oversee the existing combat units of all three military branches in the area, including also the composite battalion in Natuna, which was established late last year, to address specific threats and beef up the chain of command in the area.

"Kogabwilhan controls the units that have already been stationed here," Hadi said, adding that Tanjung Pinang occupied a geographically strategic position near Natuna's Ranai airbase and a number of Navy bases, Hadi said. Tanjung Pinang also has its own air base.

Kogabwilhan I is one of three new command structures in the military that will help modernize and improve interbranch coordination. Before the formation of the joint commands, each branch's regional command had its own separate chain of command, which hindered coordination for joint military operations.

It was previously reported that the new headquarters for Kogabwilhan in Tanjung Pinang was expected to oversee operations in the area bordering on Singapore, Malaysia and China and to defend against threats from the Strait of Malacca, as well as the North Natuna Sea -- waters northeast of Natuna Islands and at the far southern end of the South China Sea.

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