Indonesian Air Force Deploys Korpasgat To Guard IMIP Airport

Indonesian Assistant to the Indonesian Air Force Chief of Staff, Young Marshal Palito Sitorus, at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base, East Jakarta, Thursday (27/11/2025). ANTARA/Walda Marison.

JAKARTA - Indonesian Assistant to the Indonesian Air Force Chief of Staff Marshal Muda Palito Sitorus said the Indonesian Air Force Korpasgat Troops had been deployed to tighten security at the airport owned by PT Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP), in Morowali, Central Sulawesi.

This was done by the Indonesian Air Force as a follow-up to the statement by the Minister of Defense Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin to deploy troops to guard airports that were previously unsupervised by the government.

"We have already placed our troops, Pasangt, yes, there and in the future, maybe later we will build a post there to guard it, so that the area in Morowali can be monitored in the future," Palito said when met by the media crew at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base, East Jakarta, Antara, Thursday, November 27.

He explained that the guard was carried out so that the government could prevent various illegal activities that might occur inside the airport. Not only that, the Indonesian Air Force will also monitor every movement of aircraft that land or take off at IMIP airport.

According to Palito, so far there has been no aircraft activity from abroad at IMIP airport.

"So we also monitor that there are no aircraft movements there from abroad. So it's only from internal," said Palito.

Even though he does not have aircraft activities from abroad, Palito ensures that his party will continue to strengthen supervision at the IMIP airport.

If there are findings of unauthorized aircraft activity at IMIP airport, Palito ensures that his party will take firm action against the aircraft.

"Of course the Air Force will take action. But so far there have been no movements from foreign aircraft," said Palito.

To note, IMIP is a private airport built with funds from the management of company cooperatives.

The airport, which is located in the Morowali industrial area, is used to escort IMIP workers as well as company logistics.

ANTARA also had a trip to IMIP with the TNI Headquarters entourage some time ago.

Based on observations at the location, there are no elements of government at airport locations such as Customs and Excise and security forces from the police or the TNI.

The TNI also held joint military exercises at the airport, starting from the force down operation or forced reduction of foreign aircraft with fighter aircraft to the operation for the airport by Korpasgat troops on November 20, 2025.

The exercise was held to hone the TNI's ability to prevent illegal mining actions that often harm the state

Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin during a press conference in Morowali after directly monitoring the simulation said that many anomalous phenomena in Indonesia could harm the country, especially in the field of utilizing natural resources.

One of them is the construction of transportation facilities that do not include elements of the government in it.

"The TNI is holding exercises against airports that do not have state apparatus on duty at the airport. This is an anomaly in the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia," said Sjafrie.

He emphasized that there is no "state within the country" concept that applies in Indonesia. Therefore he ordered the TNI to tighten supervision of all forms of transportation facilities to prevent illegal activities that harm the state.