Indonesian lawmakers reject defence agreement with Singapore
By Channel New's Asia's Indonesia Bureau Chief Sujadi Siswo | Posted: 26 June 2007 2142 hrs

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JAKARTA: Indonesian lawmakers have rejected the Defence Cooperation Agreement, or DCA, with Singapore.

A hearing by the Parliamentary Commission on Security and Foreign Affairs concluded that it will not ratify the agreement in its current form - citing sovereignty concerns.

The rejection by the parliamentary commission does not mean the end of any hope of the House ratifying the agreement.

It is just one of the processes. But it will make it difficult for the House to support it when the DCA is formally submitted to the plenary session for ratification.

The commission is represented by every political party in parliament and usually the commission's position is abided by other members in the House.

Indonesia's Defence Minister Juwono Sudarsono said concerns raised by lawmakers about DCA have been addressed in the agreement.

He explained that the Indonesian government would only allow Singapore military access to its training areas if Indonesia is successful in recovering from Singapore the alleged ill-gotten money brought in by Indonesians to the city state. - CNA/yy