Malaysia, RI agree to ease tension in disputed area
Malaysia, RI agree to ease tension in disputed area
Agence France-Presse, Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia and Indonesia on Friday agreed to ease tensions in the disputed oil-rich South Sulawesi Sea, with Kuala Lumpur saying there was no need to stage shows of force in the area.
"While we wait for a solution (to the dispute), we agreed today that the navies of the two countries will try to find a solution to reduce tension in the area," Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak said in a joint news conference with visiting Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla.
"While there was no need to withdraw warships from the disputed waters, the two countries need not stage shows of force, just a normal presence will be alright," said Najib, who is also defense minister.
Kalla said the navy chiefs of both countries had discussed how they could conduct "friendly patrols" without causing conflict.
In April, warships from the two countries brushed sides near the Karang Unarang reef east of Kalimantan island, where Indonesia has built a lighthouse to strengthen its territorial claims in the disputed region.
Tensions have been high since Malaysia granted an oil concession in the region on Feb. 16 to Anglo-Dutch firm Shell. Jakarta says the blocks awarded by Malaysia's state oil firm Petronas are not in territory controlled by Malaysia.
Officials from both sides began negotiations to settle the overlapping claims to the area last month and are due to meet again this month in Malaysia.
Najib later said the two neighbors would soon sign a memorandum of understanding aimed at curbing illegal logging in Indonesia and timber smuggling into Malaysia.
Last December, Indonesia and Malaysia agreed to establish designated ports to handle timber in an effort to reduce illegal logging.
Najib said "...we have determined the entry points to be used," according to Bernama news agency.
Indonesian police said in February they had arrested at least 15 Malaysians for alleged involvement in illegal logging in the remote eastern province of Papua.
A 2002 report by the World Resources Institute, Global Forest Watch, and Forest Watch Indonesia Reports said Indonesia was losing nearly two million hectares (4.9 million acres) of forest annually -- an area half the size of Switzerland.