KUCHING: Malaysia has given an explanation to the Indonesian Embassy over last Sunday's incident when a helicopter carrying Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi landed briefly at an Indonesian military helipad on Pulau Sebatik, North Kalimantan, before taking off again.
Zahid said he had also informed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak about the matter while the Home Ministry will send a letter of explanation to Wisma Putra on Thursday.
"During my visit to Pulau Sebatik, Tawau, the Sabah Air helicopter I was in was supposed to have landed at Sungai Melayu at the Malaysian border.
"But the pilot could not see the helipad there as it was inundated, so he continued flying until he came across another helipad in the area, where he landed.
"Upon landing it was found that the helipad belonged to an Indonesian military post and the helicopter took off after realising the mistake.
"Then we flew on to Wallace Bay police station, which was my next destination," Zahid told reporters after breaking fast with the Sarawak police contingent at the Tabuan Jaya police housing complex here on Wednesday.
The Home Minister hoped that the media in Malaysia and Indonesia would not manipulate the incident or drag it on.
"It was not an intrusion. There is no fence at the Malaysia-Indonesia border on Pulau Sebatik and the area looks the same, so I cannot blame the pilot for the mistake," he said.
