Oil dispute a hiccup in relations: KL
Oil dispute a hiccup in relations: KL
Jasbant Singh, Associated Press/Kuala Lumpur
The tense standoff between Malaysia and Indonesia over a disputed
offshore oil field is merely a hiccup in relations that's being
blown out of proportion by the Indonesian media, Malaysia's
foreign minister said on Tuesday.
Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar was scheduled to depart for
Jakarta on Wednesday for three days of talks with Indonesian
counterpart Hassan Wirayuda on the overlapping claims, which
prompted both sides to deploy warships in recent days and accuse
the other side of trespassing.
"The media in Indonesia have initiated a tremendous raising of
feelings," Syed Hamid told reporters. "I think this is not
beneficial. We should resolve the issue through negotiations and
talks. We should not make the situation worse."
He did not give examples of news reports that he considered
overblown.
The dispute over the oil field in the Sulawesi Sea off Borneo
Island's eastern coast further sours relations that have been
made tense recently over Malaysia's expulsion of hundreds of
thousands of illegal Indonesian workers.
The long-standing dispute re-emerged in February when
Malaysia's national oil company, Petronas, awarded production-
sharing contracts to two of Shell's Malaysian units and to
Petronas Carigali Sdn. Bhd. for two deep-water blocks.
Indonesia said the oil blocks are within its borders. The
blocks are near Sipadan and Ligitan islands, disputed for years
between Malaysia and Indonesia.
The International Court of Justice gave Malaysia sovereignty
over the islands in 2002. But Indonesia claims Malaysia's water
territory extends only 19 kilometers (12 miles) from the islands.
On Monday, Malaysians Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono sought to defuse
tensions by talking to each other by phone for 10 minutes. They
agreed that their foreign ministers would resolve the matter
through negotiations.
"We will protect our interests and sovereignty but that does
not mean we want to be confrontational," Syed Hamid said, adding
that the spat was "short term, situational."
Syed Hamid said he has some proposals on how to resolve the
conflict but didn't elaborate.
He criticized a demonstration by about 100 Indonesians on
Monday outside the Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta in which the
protesters chanted "crush Malaysia."
"Beefing up all these emotions is not good. I do not want to
add fire to what already looks or has a semblance of anger that
is being whipped up in Indonesia. In Malaysia we should stay
calm," he said.