The Ministry of Defence has denied reports that a Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) aircraft had been intercepted by two Indonesian fighter jets, according to a report by The Star Online.
Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein was quoted as saying that the incident was just a “mere visual identification” of the C-130 aircraft, codenamed MEGA 207.
“It must be noted that the MEGA 207 was not intercepted by the TNI-AU.
“An interception warrants the forcing down of our C-130 which did not occur.
“It was a mere visual identification of our aircraft,” Hishammuddin said in a statement, as reported by The Star.
According to the report, the MEGA 207 took off from the Subang Air Force base at 10.10am last Saturday for a scheduled training mission and was flying over Natuna Islands in the South China Sea when it was reportedly intercepted by the jets at around 12.03pm.
Hishamuddin was further quoted as saying that the RMAF would continue using the route as “Malaysia had the right of continuous, expeditious and unobstructed overflight through the airspace over territorial waters” according to a treaty signed between the two countries.
