By: Agus )*
Terrorism is still an issue and a global threat, following with that, Indonesia and Australia have strengthened cooperation through “Australia-Indonesia Ministerial Council on Law and Security” in Sydney.
That was the second meeting after the first in Jakarta last December to serve as a forum to coordinate cooperation and roles the two countries must play in connection with international security, especially when it comes to tackling terrorism.
Be related on that, Australian Attorney General, George Brandis remarked in a press conference “We are present in Sydney today for the second ministerial meeting between Australia and Indonesia in the field of law and security”.
“We will share our views in this meeting regarding the threat faced by the region, and will also make a commitment to strengthen intelligence cooperation between Australia and Indonesia,” Brandis emphasized.
He added, “This is a very, very important meeting because the governments of Indonesia and Australia are equally interested in preventing terrorism in our respective countries,”
During the meeting, George Brandis was accompanied by Australian Justice Minister Michael Keenan, and former Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Greg Moriarty.
The Indonesian delegation to the meeting comprised Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security, Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, National Police Chief General Badrodin Haiti, National Counter-terrorism Agency (BNPT) Chief Commission General Tito Karnavian, and Immigration Director General Ronny F. Sompie, among others.
Minister Luhut Binsar Panjaitan noted, the cooperation between both countries ware going well because a good understanding by President Joko Widodo and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
“We are confident that this cooperation will only improve further in the future, and the two countries will continue to exchange intelligence information and help each other in capacity building in a number of areas,” Panjaitan said.
According to him, one example of success in addressing the terrorist threat was the mapping of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Southeast Asia, led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
)* The Author is Brunei Contributor
