House Warns of Loss of Border Areas to Malaysia

October 09, 2011


Indonesia risks losing more than 1,000 hectares of land in border areas in West Kalimantan to Malaysia, legislators claim.

A visit by House of Representatives Commission I to the area concluded that 1,400 hectares in Camar Bulan in Sambas district and a further eight hectares in Tanjung Datu could be taken over by Malaysia, said the deputy chairman of the commission, Tubagus Hasanudin.

“These areas have oil and gas deposits. We must address this immediately,” he said in Jakarta.

Tubagus added that the commission, which oversees foreign affairs, received reports of Malaysian border patrol officers evicting Indonesian citizens in the areas.

He said the commission would summon Foreign Ministry officials to discuss the situation.

Commission member Tjahjo Kumolo said lawmakers were made aware of criminal groups operating in the areas, but did not divulge further details.

“We received reports indicating irregularities that have allowed Malaysia to take brazen action,” he said on Sunday, adding that the “border scandal” could lead to the loss of rich coal deposits.

“The House and government should immediately form a team composed of officials from the Foreign Ministry, Home Ministry and intelligence agencies,” he said.

“The team has to be independent and cannot include those linked to this issue.”

Tjahjo also called for changes to the way border areas are managed, saying they should be seen as key to the country’s development and managed accordingly by the local and central governments.

The national government has in the last 10 years identified concerns in border areas in Kalimantan, including missing or destroyed border markers leading to the loss of 200 hectares to Malaysia.

Commission I chairman Mahfudz Siddiq urged the government to take action against Malaysia by unleashing the full force of the military and police, as Indonesia’s current approach led to Malaysia always seizing the upper hand.

“We need to use hard diplomacy. If necessary, the government should deploy soldiers throughout our border areas,” Mahfudz said on Sunday.

“Malaysia’s act [of evicting Indonesians in border areas] is clearly aggression. We cannot remain quiet,” he said.

However, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto said on Sunday that based on reports from military officers in the area, there were “no indications thus far that Malaysia had annexed our territory in West Kalimantan or other provinces.”

Foreign Ministry spokesman Michael Tene said talks were underway with Malaysia over competing border claims.

Defense Ministry spokesman Hartind Asrin also said Tanjung Datu and Camar Bulan were two of several outstanding boundary problems between Indonesia and Malaysia being discussed by a joint Indonesia-Malaysia border committee, which hosts its 36th annual meeting this year.


(x the JG)