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)