Indonesia rubbishes Malaysia land grab claims

Jakarta today denied claims Malaysia illegally seized 1,400 hectares of Indonesian land in Kalimantan after shifting border markers, according to a report in The Jakarta Post.

The English daily quoted Indonesian Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Djoko Suyant as saying a survey of the border had showed that none of the border markers had been moved.

“Indonesia will never give up even an inch of our land,” he said at a press conference attended by three other ministers in Jakarta earlier today.

Indonesian Home Minister Gamawan Fauzi said border issues between the two countries were discussed annually and that Malaysia could not be accused of illegally occupying Indonesian lands.

Marty Natalegawa, Indonesia’s foreign minister, assured there were no border disputes between Malaysia and Indonesia as both countries referred to the Dutch-British treaties of 1891, 1915 and 1928.

However, he said old treaties needed to be followed up with further talks to ensure adequate border demarcation in Borneo.

The Jakarta Post reported yesterday that Indonesian lawmakers had accused Malaysia of shifting border markers and seizing the country’s territory in Kalimantan.

The Indonesian Parliament’s defence and foreign affairs commission deputy head TB Hasanudin said on Saturday that Indonesia had lost 1,400 hectares in Camar Bulan and eight hectares in Tanjung Datu, both in West Kalimantan, to Malaysia.

But University of Indonesia legal expert Hikmahanto Juwana suggested that local Indonesians and not Malaysians might have been responsible for moving the border markers.

Indonesia’s Defence Ministry has acknowledged that both Tanjung Batu and Camar Wulan are ongoing problem areas between Indonesia and Malaysia.

Malaysia and Indonesia signed a memorandum of understanding in 1978 to resolve border disputes but neither side has ratified it yet.
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