MEDIA REPORTS CLAIMING MALAYSIA HANDED OVER 5,207 HECTARES OF LAND TO INDONESIA INACCURATE - ARTHUR

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 23 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Sustainability (NRES) has stated that media reports claiming Malaysia handed over 5,207 hectares of land to Indonesia as compensation for three villages in the Nunukan area near the Sabah-Kalimantan border as inaccurate.

Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability, Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup said the settlement of the land boundary issue between Malaysia and Indonesia was reached without being based on principles of reciprocity, compensation, or "profit and loss."

He noted that negotiations regarding the marking and measurement of Outstanding Boundary Problem (OBP) areas were carried out harmoniously between the two countries, in accordance with international law and existing boundary agreements.

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According to him, the finalisation of the land boundary measurement was sealed through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Malaysia and Indonesia on February 18, 2025, following more than 45 years of comprehensive and transparent technical negotiations.

"The desire of Malaysia and Indonesia to expedite the resolution of land boundary issues for the Sabah-North Kalimantan (KALTARA) sector was agreed upon during former Indonesian President Joko Widodo's state visit to Malaysia on June 8, 2023, which also involved the active participation of Sabah government representatives as part of the Malaysian delegation," he said in a statement today.

Arthur added that scientific measurements were carried out based on previous agreements to ensure a clear boundary line, involving the expertise of the Department of Survey and Mapping Malaysia (JUPEM) and security agencies.

He said that every inch of adjustment was made based on international law - specifically the Boundary Convention1891, the Boundary Agreement 1928 - alongside precise geospatial coordinates, rather than on the basis of political concessions.

"The final determination of the border will strengthen the country’s legal position at the international level and close any loopholes for larger territorial claims in the future," he said.

Arthur said the decision to finalise the border is seen as a strategic move by Malaysia to ensure the country’s sovereignty is fully recognised by neighboring countries and the international community, while prioritising long-term interests over maintaining disputed areas that lack a legal basis.

Additionally, both countries continue to adopt a diplomatic approach through ongoing negotiations to resolve any issues and disputes in OBP areas, grounded in the spirit of goodwill and friendship, thereby ensuring harmony and avoiding any conflicts on the ground, he said.

Media reports recently claimed that three villages in Nunukan, North Kalimantan, have now moved to Malaysia, but the boundary dispute in the Pulau Sebatik area remains unresolved, while Indonesia was reportedly gaining an additional area of 5,207 hectares from Malaysia.

--BERNAMA