Indonesia–Malaysia steps to address border issues should serve as a model for the world

Jakarta – Malaysian Ambassador to Indonesia Dato’ Syed Mohamad Hasrin Tengku Hussin said the steps and progress achieved by the Indonesian and Malaysian governments in resolving the border issue should serve as an example for the world. Hasrin said the governments of Indonesia and Malaysia share political will to resolve the border matter, even though the issue is complex and sensitive for both countries because it touches sovereignty and territorial integrity. ‘I think we have shown the world that even when faced with a border issue that is complex, it can be resolved through peaceful dialogue and negotiations, with a goal of benefiting the people of both countries in the future,’ Hasrin told ANTARA in an exclusive interview in Jakarta on Tuesday (3/3). He explained that the land border between Indonesia and Malaysia runs for more than 2,000 km on Borneo, with a memorandum of understanding recently establishing the demarcation between Kalimantan Utara and Sabah state. Stakeholders from both sides continue four outstanding border problems (OBP) remaining, which include border points in Sarawak with Kalimantan Barat and a small portion of Kalimantan Utara. If all Indonesia–Malaysia border issues are resolved, he continued, it will ensure increased cooperation across various fields, from border security to economic opportunities between the two countries. ‘Border cooperation, in addition to enhancing cooperation in the fight against transnational crime, also plays a role in driving new economic opportunities in border areas,’ he said. He also believed that after the two countries no longer have outstanding border-related obligations, bilateral relations between Indonesia and Malaysia will become even better in the future. ‘I believe both sides remain committed to resolving other bilateral issues that are still outstanding between the two countries,’ Hasrin said. Meanwhile, in a working meeting with Commission II of the Indonesian House of Representatives on 21 January, the Secretary of the National Border Management Agency (BNPP) RI, Komjen Pol. Makhruzi Rahman, said the four OBP remaining in Kalimantan Barat and Sarawak are D.400, Gunung Raya, Sibuan, and Batu Aum. The four OBP are currently in the stage of unilateral field surveys by the RI negotiation technical team and technical discussions through the joint working group mechanism.