Ambassador Denies Receiving 7 Protest Notes On Ambalat

By Azeman Ariffin JAKARTA, June 25 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian ambassador to Indonesia has denied claims he received seven protest notes from the Indonesian Foreign Ministry on alleged intrusions by the Malaysian military in Ambalat. Zahrain Mohamed Hashim said he regretted the allegation because it was totally untrue. "We have not received any protest note, diplomatically or militarily to date, and the Malaysian Government has denied that intrusions have taken place as claimed by the Indonesian media," he told Malaysian journalists after being interviewed by CNN Indonesia here Wednesday. CNN Indonesia, in a special interview had asked Zahrain to comment on a statement allegedly issued by Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi that Indonesia had sent seven protest notes to Malaysia over purported intrusions by the Malaysian military. If it was true there were protest notes, Zahrain said Malaysia would have solved the problem diplomatically. "Malaysia and Indonesia have set up a joint special committee to discuss any problem arising over Ambalat and if it was true they had taken place, the problems would be solved via discussions in the committee concerned," he said. An Indonesian newspaper recently quoted Retno as saying that he was still waiting for detailed data of the coordinates from the Indonesian National Army (TNI) commander on the allegation of intrusions by the Malaysian military. TNI commander General Moeldoko, meanwhile, was quoted as saying that if it was true intrusions had taken place, he would have given a reminder to the Malaysian Armed Forces chief. Moeldoko said the armed forces of both countries had agreed to look after the peace and refrain from causing any conflict. The issue of overlapping claims between Malaysia and Indonesia in the Sulawesi Sea or Ambalat, which is located between East Kalimantan, Indonesia and south-east of Sabah, Malaysia, cropped up since the publishing of a map by Malaysia in 1979. The map showed the maritime boundary area in question was located in the Malaysian waters but Indonesia protested against the map. -- BERNAMA