RI, Malaysia call for closer co-op

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia and Malaysia concluded a three-day joint commission meeting yesterday stressing the need for closer cooperation and demarcation of exclusive economic zone borders and boundary lines between the two countries.

The two-day meeting of senior officials and one-day ministerial meeting ended yesterday with the signing of the minutes of the meeting's results by Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas and his Malaysian counterpart Abdullah Badawi.

Both expressed confidence that the joint commission would help further boost relations between the two neighboring countries.

Among the central issues being tackled was the demarcation of borders in their respective exclusive economic zones in the Malacca straits and certain boundary lines in Kalimantan.

Alatas said he would like experts from both countries to come together to discuss the matters.

He said there is a need for "a meeting of experts of the two countries to talk about and agree on the delineation of the exclusive economic zone based on the 1982 Sea Law convention".

He argued that by clearly defining lines in the exclusive economic zone in the straits, fishing disagreements could be diminished.

Separately, delegates were confident that the issue of boundary lines between the Malaysian state of Sabah and Indonesia's East Kalimantan would be settled within the next three or four years.

The joint commission was established in 1990 as a forum for discussing and further intensifying cooperation.

At the end of the meeting yesterday, delegates also noted progress in the development of the Indonesia-Malaysia-Singapore Growth Triangle, the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle and the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area.

Prevalent border disputes between the two countries include the Sipadan and Ligitan Islands, located off the northeastern coast of Kalimantan.

Both Alatas and Badawi stressed yesterday that the two countries agreed to settle the issue amicably through the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

Another enduring issue between the two countries is the question of Indonesian workers in Malaysia.

The commission expressed yesterday each side's conviction to take steps in curbing the entry of illegal workers.

There are over 600,000 Indonesians legally working in Malaysia. The exact number of illegal workers in Malaysia is unknown, but observers believe it is equal to the number of legal workers. (mds)