Commander-in-Chief of the Indonesian National Defence Forces (TNI) Admiral (ADM) Agus Suhartono was conferred Singapore's highest military award, the Darjah Utama Bakti Cemerlang (Tentera) Distinguished Service Order (Military)], by President Tony Tan Keng Yam at the Istana this afternoon.

ADM Suhartono received the award for his significant role in enhancing the excellent and longstanding ties between the TNI and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). Under ADM Suhartono's leadership and guidance, the defence cooperation between the two armed forces has grown from strength to strength. ADM Suhartono has played an instrumental role in initiating new areas of cooperation such as the inaugural ASEAN Militaries' Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Table-Top Exercise, which was co-hosted by Indonesia and Singapore in July 2011. Additionally, he has shown strong personal support for the Indonesia-Singapore Coordinated Patrol (ISCP), which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. The two armed forces have also enhanced their participation in a wide range of professional interactions and bilateral exercises such as Exercise Elang Indopura and Exercise Safkar Indopura. These initiatives have enhanced the mutual understanding and camaraderie between the personnel of the two armed forces.

Guests at the investiture included Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Defence and National Development Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, Permanent Secretary for Defence Development Dr Tan Kim Siew, Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant-General (LG) Neo Kian Hong, as well as senior government officials and military officers from Indonesia and Singapore.

ADM Suhartono, who is in Singapore from 9 to 11 May 2012, called on Dr Ng at the Ministry of Defence and on Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Istana before the investiture, and will visit HQ Commando later this afternoon. ADM Suhartono and LG Neo will also co-chair the 15th Combined Annual Report Meeting tomorrow, which is an annual meeting between the top military commanders of the SAF and TNI that oversees the full range of SAF-TNI interactions across the three Services. On 11 May 2012, they will co-officiate at the 20th anniversary celebrations of the ISCP.