Muntok (ANTARA News) – The navy base at Bangka Belitung plans to place some of its warships in the sea off Muntok, regency of West Bangka, to help maintain sea security in that area.
“The Muntok waters are easily a place for criminal offense such as piracy, smuggling and illegal fishing,” the navy base commander Col. Iwa Kartiwa said.
The presence of warships in that area is expected to reduce that possibility, Iwa Kartiwa said when visiting a navy post at Muntok on Wednesday.
He said the Bangka Belitung Navy Base has six units of warship docking at the port of Pangkalbalam, Pangkalpinang.
“If something happened at Muntok waters, it would take time too long for the ships to get there. It is quite a long distance between Pangkalbalam and Muntok,” he said.
He said Muntok needs at least a warship to help cope with possible security problem there.
In addition the sea in the Muntok shore is quite deep for the ship to dock, he said.
Source: http://www.antaranews.com/