SINGAPORE — “Unauthorised parties” are believed to be behind the smuggled truckload of used Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) camouflage uniforms seized by the Indonesian navy on Batam island in November last year, said Senior Minister of State for Defence Mohamad Maliki Osman yesterday.

He did not specify who the unauthorised parties might be, but said the Ministry of Defence found that its authorised contractors had disposed of the used uniforms according to procedure — which is to collect them from designated collection points at all SAF eMart outlets, and send them to incinerators. An SAF employee witnesses the incineration.Singapore is awaiting the outcome of investigations by the Indonesian navy and will work with it, if necessary.

Asked by Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Dennis Tan what action Singapore would take against those responsible and the timeline expected, Dr Maliki said it was “premature” to discuss what action Singapore would take.

Singapore will leave investigations to the Indonesian authorities and “when they complete the investigation and share the information with us, we’ll take action accordingly, subsequently”, he added.

The SAF will be putting up more disposal bins at the eMarts and will set up used uniform collection points at entrances of selected camps near populated areas in the next two to three months.

NSmen will be reminded to dispose of their old uniforms at authorised collection points only. These measures will reduce opportunities for unauthorised vendors to obtain and sell used SAF uniforms, he said.

The used SAF uniforms that were seized by the Indonesian navy included green digital camouflage uniforms first issued by the SAF in 2008, as well as an older version. The smuggled goods also included old electrical appliances.

The Straits Times had reported that the boat captain and truck drivers were held for questioning in Tanjung Pinang, but the Indonesian navy had yet to determine the owner of the goods. NEO CHAI CHIN