REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said relations between Indonesia and Singapore remain good despite the presence of two soldiers wearing uniforms bearing the names of Usman and Harun at the Jakarta International Defense Dialogue (JIDD) on Wednesday.

"Relations between Indonesia and Singapore are quite good. We also have invited Singapore and Australia to take part in the Komodo Exercise on March 29," Purnomo said here on Sunday.

The minister said he had instructed Indonesian Naval Chief of Staff Admiral Marsetio to investigate the incident.

"There has been no development yet. We will continue to investigate it," he said.

According to him, it was not proper for the two soldiers wearing the uniforms to show up at the JIDD which served as an international forum.

Purnomo said the event's organizing committee did not engineer the incident.

"Actually, Singapore did not complain about the incident but was disappointed with it. Because of that, some participants walked out of the JIDD," he said.

Relations between Indonesia and Singapore were strained over the use of the name Usman-Harun for the Indonesian warship last February. Both Usman and Harun were responsible for the fatal 1965 bombing of an office tower in Singapore.

Singapore protested against the naming of the Indonesian naval vessel after the two heroes because it only opened old wounds and asked the Indonesian government to change the name of the naval vessel.

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