More Malaysian border disputes likely to surface

More Malaysian border disputes likely to surface

JAKARTA (JP): While sighs of relief recently met Jakarta and
Kuala Lumpur's concurrence to arbitrate the long-standing dispute
over Sipadan and Ligitan islands, legislators warned yesterday of
other conflicting claims with neighboring Malaysia.

Legislator Krissantono during a plenary meeting of the House
of Representatives pointed to Sibatik Island as the next likely
border dispute between Indonesia and Malaysia.

"Apart from Sipadan and Ligitan whose arbitration will be
taken to the International Court of Justice, there are still
quite a few problems about the Indonesia-Malaysia border which
need the attention of the government," he said.

Speaking on behalf of Commission I which tackles foreign
policy, information and defense issues, Krissantono said the
commission, after recently visiting Central and East Kalimantan
had found at least three contentious places.

These include Sibatik Island and the Semantipal and Sinapad
rivers.

The question of Sipadan and Ligitan has been a major
aggravation between the two countries for many years. However
during a recent meeting Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad
and Indonesian President Soeharto agreed to take the dispute to
the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

Krissantono yesterday highlighted the overlapping claims of
Sibatik Island as matter which needed attention.

The island is located just northeast of Kalimantan. Most maps
cut a line in the middle of the island dividing it into an
Indonesian and Malaysian half.

During the plenary session which was chaired by deputy speaker
Soerjadi, Krissantono went on at length on the problem of illegal
Indonesian workers in the Eastern Malaysian state of Sabah.

"The large number of illegal workers is caused by high fiscal
costs, making them prefer to become illegal aliens. It's worsened
by official procedures which are impractical and costly," he
said.

With long, often unpatrolled borders between Sabah and East
Kalimantan, Sarawak and West Kalimantan, illegal workers can
easily stride into Malaysia and seek work.

Krissantono said that because of financial restraints the
provinces in Kalimantan were barely coping with the problem of
illegal workers. He revealed that deporting illegal workers from
Sabah has become the burden of the East Kalimantan
administration.

"They just don't have the funds," he said.

Krissantono said border disputes often arose from Sabah
farmers removing border markers to steal timber. (mds)