More Malaysian border disputes likely to surface<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): While sighs of relief recently met Jakarta and
\nKuala Lumpur's concurrence to arbitrate the long-standing dispute
\nover Sipadan and Ligitan islands, legislators warned yesterday of
\nother conflicting claims with neighboring Malaysia.<\/p>\n
Legislator Krissantono during a plenary meeting of the House
\nof Representatives pointed to Sibatik Island as the next likely
\nborder dispute between Indonesia and Malaysia.<\/p>\n
"Apart from Sipadan and Ligitan whose arbitration will be
\ntaken to the International Court of Justice, there are still
\nquite a few problems about the Indonesia-Malaysia border which
\nneed the attention of the government," he said.<\/p>\n
Speaking on behalf of Commission I which tackles foreign
\npolicy, information and defense issues, Krissantono said the
\ncommission, after recently visiting Central and East Kalimantan
\nhad found at least three contentious places.<\/p>\n
These include Sibatik Island and the Semantipal and Sinapad
\nrivers.<\/p>\n
The question of Sipadan and Ligitan has been a major
\naggravation between the two countries for many years. However
\nduring a recent meeting Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad
\nand Indonesian President Soeharto agreed to take the dispute to
\nthe International Court of Justice in The Hague.<\/p>\n
Krissantono yesterday highlighted the overlapping claims of
\nSibatik Island as matter which needed attention.<\/p>\n
The island is located just northeast of Kalimantan. Most maps
\ncut a line in the middle of the island dividing it into an
\nIndonesian and Malaysian half.<\/p>\n
During the plenary session which was chaired by deputy speaker
\nSoerjadi, Krissantono went on at length on the problem of illegal
\nIndonesian workers in the Eastern Malaysian state of Sabah.<\/p>\n
"The large number of illegal workers is caused by high fiscal
\ncosts, making them prefer to become illegal aliens. It's worsened
\nby official procedures which are impractical and costly," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
With long, often unpatrolled borders between Sabah and East
\nKalimantan, Sarawak and West Kalimantan, illegal workers can
\neasily stride into Malaysia and seek work.<\/p>\n
Krissantono said that because of financial restraints the
\nprovinces in Kalimantan were barely coping with the problem of
\nillegal workers. He revealed that deporting illegal workers from
\nSabah has become the burden of the East Kalimantan
\nadministration.<\/p>\n
"They just don't have the funds," he said.<\/p>\n
Krissantono said border disputes often arose from Sabah
\nfarmers removing border markers to steal timber. (mds)<\/p>",
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