This was an announcement made by Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro here on Monday.
"The Jupiter Aerobatic team is already in Singapore and is currently training for the Singapore Air Show," noted Purnomo.
However, he confirmed that a delegation of high-ranking Indonesian officials comprising Military Chief General Moeldoko, Vice Defense Minister Lieutenant General Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, Chief of Indonesian Air Force Marshal Ida Bagus Putu Dunia, and Chief of
Indonesian Army Lieutenant General Budiman will not attend the Singapore Air Show. Purnomo also confirmed that Singapore had cancelled its invitation to 100 Indonesian military personnel to attend the Singapore Air Show.
"We will not make this issue a complicated one. If they (Singapore) cancels the invitation, then we cancel the visit. It is as simple as that," Purnomo emphasized.
According to him, the naming of the Indonesian Navy ship, KRI Usman Harun, was already final and had been through the requisite procedures.
"It is the right of Indonesia," he remarked.
When questioned on whether the row with Singapore had the potential to harm other military cooperation with Singapore, Minister Purnomo replied that it will not affect cooperation in other areas that Indonesia and Singapore had been conducting since the past few years.
"So far, Singapore has only voiced its concerns regarding the naming of the Indonesian navy ship. Indonesia and Singapore have their own perspectives regarding this issue. But, Indonesia has a strong reason why it chose to name its ship as KRI Usman Harun," Purnomo claimed.
Earlier, spokesman to Indonesian Navy First Marshall Untung Suropati stated that the naming of the Indonesian Navys newest ship, Usman Harun, had been through the requisite procedures.
"We have named the ship after two Indonesian national heroes," Untung added.
Earlier, the Singapore government had raised concerns over Indonesia naming its navy ship after two Indonesian marines who took part in the 1965 bombing of the MacDonald House on Orchard Road during the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation era.
The confrontation itself took place after Indonesias first President Soekarno accused the formation of Malaysia as a country that was backed by the British. Singapore was still part of Malaysia at the time of the confrontation.
In an effort to infiltrate Malaysias area, Indonesia sent two members of its navy: Usman Haji Mohamed Ali and Harun in a bid to bomb the Macdonald House on Orchard Road, Singapore. The bombing killed three people and injured 33.
The two marines were caught and executed in Singapore. Their remains were then sent to Indonesia where they were considered as national heroes. The bodies of Usman Haji Mohamed Ali and Harun Said were buried in the Kalibata Heroes Cemetery in Jakarta.
Their hanging led to tension prevailing between Indonesia and Singapore for several years. The relations between Singapore and Indonesia were restored when Singapores Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew visited Jakarta in 1973 and offered flowers on the graves of the two marines.
Sumber : Antara
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