KRI Usman-Harun Expected to Arrive in July : Defense Minister

Jakarta (Antara) - Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro has confirmed that the Indonesian Navy's frigate KRI Usman Harun will have arrived in Indonesia from the United Kingdom in July this year. The ship, whose name has triggered Singapore's rejection, would arrive along with two other light frigates, KRI Bung Tomo and KRI John Lie, he said as quoted by Kompas daily on Thursday. The three multifunctional warships are currently in UK but they are expected to sail to Indonesia in early July, Purnomo Yusgiantoro said adding that the name of KRI Usman Harun remains unchanged despite Singapore's response. Singapore has prohibited the KRI Usman Harun to call at the city state's ports or naval bases because of the names of Harun Said and Usman Hj Mohd Ali, two Indonesian marines who carried out a bombing in Orchard Road area in 1965. Usman and Harun did their mission in Singapore when Indonesia confronted with the Malaysian Federation. Singapore Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen was quoted by Straits Times as saying in February that, his country's armed forces would also "not sail alongside or undergo training exercises with" KRI Usman Harun. (*)