The Sipadan-Ligitan case<\/p>\n
The dispute over the islands of Sipadan and Ligitan, northeast
\nof the province of East Kalimantan, has surfaced again in the
\npast few weeks. According to existing records, as well as
\nhistorical evidence, those two little islands have been part of
\nIndonesia's territory since 1891, when the archipelago was under
\nDutch colonial rule. They have come into the international focus
\nof attention since being claimed by Malaysia.<\/p>\n
In this country, the case is greeted cool-headedly although
\nnaturally with resolve. No less a person than the Minister of
\nDefense and Security, Edi Sudradjat, responded to the Malaysian
\nstatements by appealing to Indonesians to keep their heads cool
\nregarding the matter, which is now being looked into by Indonesia
\nand Malaysia through a Joint Working Group.<\/p>\n
In this argument between Indonesia and neighboring Malaysia it
\nseems that Indonesia prefers to take a low-profile. Rather than
\nmaking sharp or strong statements it prefers to sit down and
\nnegotiate with its neighbor.<\/p>\n
According to historical evidence, Sipadan and Ligitan are
\nparts of the Sultanate of Bulongan of the northern part of the
\nprovince of East Kalimantan. This is recorded in the Staatsblad
\nvan het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden (Government Gazette of the
\nKingdom of the Netherlands) No.53, 1892. The document was signed
\nby Queen Emma after the delineation of the North Borneo
\nterritorial boundaries with England at the end of the 19th
\ncentury.<\/p>\n
If Malaysia is in possession of similar evidence, the natural
\nthing to do is of course to examine how such a thing could have
\nhappened. Has there been any act of deliberate manipulation, and
\nif so by whom? These questions needs answering so that all may be
\nmade clear.<\/p>\n
-- Jayakarta, Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/the-sipadan-ligitan-case-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }