22-07-2025
Nothing final yet on Sulawesi Sea issue with Indonesia, PM tells Dewan Rakyat
KUALA LUMPUR: No conclusive agreement has been reached with Indonesia on the maritime border dispute involving two islands in the Sulawesi Sea, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Prime Minister said that although the International Court of Justice (ICJ) had decided in 2002 that Ligitan and Sipadan belonged to Malaysia, there was still a dispute over the maritime borders at Blocks ND6 and ND7 of the Sulawesi Sea owing to conflicting intertidal claims.
"We are friends with Indonesia and are (negotiating) with them on the issue," he told Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee (PN-Beluran) in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (July 22).
Although he had met with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on four previous occasions, Anwar said talks between them on several issues, including jointly developing the disputed maritime areas, were informal.
ALSO READ: Ambalat issue: Proposal for joint development in Sulawesi Sea yet to be finalised
"We have been invited to Jakarta on July 29 for talks, and the Sabah Chief Minister has been invited to be part of the delegation because it involves his state's borders.
"Sabah has not given its agreement (to any proposals) and neither have we (Putrajaya).
"Talks have not been finalised and nothing has been agreed upon... (they) remain merely proposals," he added.
ALSO READ: Anwar, Prabowo agree to boost strategic cooperation, to jointly develop Ambalat area
Kiandee wanted to know the details of a purported "agreement" between Malaysia and Indonesia in 2023 on the maritime border issue involving Blocks ND6 and ND7 which contain, on the high end of estimates, about 1.4 trillion cubic metres of gas and 760 million barrels of oil reserves.
Anwar clarified that details of the proposed joint development between Malaysia and Indonesia to develop the areas were not made public owing to a non-disclosure clause because both Blocks ND6 and ND7 – referred to by Indonesia as the Ambalat Block – were not part of the 2023 agreement.
He said Malaysia remains firm on its sovereignty over the two areas.
ALSO READ: Ambalat block: Declassify agreement with Indonesia in public interest, says Kiandee
"Should we choose armed conflict to resolve the dispute, or negotiation?
"We chose negotiation, as we are both friendly nations," he added.
He also told Datuk Mohd Shahar Abdullah (BN-Paya Besar) that efforts have been made to beef up border security between the two nations, particularly in Sabah and Sarawak.
This includes the acquisition of new patrol vessels for the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and an additional RM40mil allocation for the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom).
Shahar had asked what was being done to improve border security in Sabah and Sarawak in light of the rapid development of Indonesia's new capital city, Nusantara, located in East Kalimantan.
