An Indonesian military commander said on Wednesday that the country planned to build military facility near the disputed maritime border with Malaysia.

"It was because there is no military base around the location. The regional government would provide the area for the military facility," General Moeldoko said in the military headquarters here.

Moeldoko said that the plan was fully backed by people living around the area in Sambas regency, West Kalimantan province, and the public support to construction of the military facility has been conveyed to the regent and governor.

The planned military facility would facilitate the country's navy and air force, he said, adding that extending the runway of an airstrip in the location would enable it to accommodate larger military planes.

Tension marred relations between Indonesia and neighboring Malaysia earlier this month after Malaysia was allegedly building a lighthouse on Tanjung Datuk Island that is still a disputed area between the two countries.

The Indonesian navy sent a ship to the island and a navy aircraft had taken aerial photos of Malaysia's alleged construction activities, according to the Antara news agency.

After that Malaysia stopped the construction on May 20. Endi

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