Malaysia promotes disputed island

JAKARTA (JP): Malaysia promoted Sipadan, an island also claimed by Indonesia, as one of its tourist paradises during the recent Berlin Tourism Bourse, a press report said yesterday.

Indonesian consul general in Berlin Indra M. Damanik was quoted by Antara as saying Tuesday that Malaysia had claimed Sipadan as its territory.

"It's a daring promotion because the territorial dispute over the Sipadan Island has not yet been settled," Damanik said.

Indonesia and Malaysia have overlapping sovereignty claims on Sipadan and Ligitan, two small islands off the eastern coast of Borneo.

Years of negotiations have failed to reach an agreement. Last year the two countries agreed to take the dispute to the Hague- based International Court of Justice.

The two countries agreed that until an acceptable solution was reached, no party was allowed to develop the islands.

At the Berlin Tourism Bourse, held from March 8 to March 12, Malaysia distributed brochures on Sipadan island, describing it as a divers' paradise.

The brochures were illustrated with color pictures of divers, exotic turtles and fish and a map showing the locations of Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Singapore.

At the expo, Malaysia, Indonesia and other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations occupied the same exhibition hall.

Before Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur decided to take their dispute to the International Court of Justice, Indonesia had wanted a political solution. The Malaysian government, however, had insisted that the court would provide the best solution. (pan)