JAKARTA, March 14 (Xinhuanet) -- The Indonesian government will continue its plan to build 20 lighthouses in the offshore Ambalat area in Sulawesi Sea which is claimed by Malaysia as its own, a minister said here Monday.

    "We must not drop the plan because Ambalat is inside our territory," Minister of Transportation Hatta Radjasa was quoted by Detikcom Online news service as saying.

    The Malaysian government has lodged a formal protest against the lighthouse construction on coral reefs in Ambalat and urged Indonesia to withdraw its military forces from the area.

    Both countries have agreed to send technical teams to seek a peaceful settlement for the dispute over Ambalat, which is located between Indonesia's East Kalimantan province and Malaysia's Sabah state. Enditem