The National Police of Timor-Leste (PNTL) will set up a Frontier Police Unity (UPF) post in Lelobata Village, Batugade, Balibo sub-district, to prevent people illegally entering and exiting the country.
The General Commandant of PNTL, Commissioner Longuinhos Monteiro, said that in December last year an unknown group entered illegally and destroyed the mark between Timor-Leste and Indonesia.
It was for this reason he said it was necessary to set up two or three UPF posts in the frontier.
“Especially one in the area of Lelobata and one Naktuka,” Commissioner Monteiro said in Kaikoli, Dili.
He said the plan for setting up the postswould be implemented shortly, with preparation already underway.
“Therefore, we need to improve the capacity of UPF police so they perform their work well,” he said.
Member of Commission B (security, defense and foreign affairs), Member of Parliament, Maria Lurdes Bessa said she considered it a good plan and very necessary.
“As we all know, problems are always occurring on the frontier,” said MP Bessa.
However, she called on the General Commandant of PNTL to bolster staff ranks on the frontier and to improve the supply of provisions such as radios and transport for the UPF staff.
“Commission B held monitoring there and found more UPF staff were needed there,” she said.
