SAF TO RE-DEPLOY PERSONNEL AND ASSETS HOME

Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) personnel, who have been in Meulaboh to provide emergency relief since early January, will be returning to Singapore.

"The Indonesian government is moving from the emergency relief phase to the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase," said Minister for Defence, Mr Teo Chee Hean.

"We are moving along with the Indonesian government to provide assistance appropriate to this new phase - the humanitarian disaster relief," he added.

"The SAF team that came to provide emergency relief for the last three weeks, will now be returning to Singapore," he announced.

Accompanied by Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, and representatives from various Singapore non-governmental organisations (NGOs), Mr Teo was in Meulaboh to review Singapore's relief assistance efforts.

During his transit in Medan, Mr Teo also met with the Governor of North Sumatra, Mr Rizal Nurdin.

Mr Teo said that from the very beginning, Singapore had co-ordinated very closely with Indonesia to determine what assistance was needed.

Although the SAF is re-deploying its personnel and assets back to Singapore, at the request of Indonesia, three Chinook helicopters will remain in Aceh to continue to provide assistance.

In recent days, NGOs, many from Singapore like the Red Cross and Mercy Relief, have taken over the work done by the SAF. For example, they are now providing medical care for patients at Meulaboh's general hospital.

Mr Teo said this work is best done by the NGOs because they have "the competency to do it".

However, he said Singapore is ready to continue to offer assistance to Indonesia.

"When the Indonesian government is ready, we will discuss how best we can fit into the reconstruction plans for Aceh, in particular Meulaboh," said the minister.

During his visit to Meulaboh, Mr Teo also saw the helicopter and sea-landing sites constructed by the SAF, and toured the Meulaboh general hospital.