CLAIMS MALAYSIA HANDS OVER 5,207 HA TO INDONESIA FALSE, DECEPTIVE – PM ANWAR

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 4 (Bernama) -- Allegations that Malaysia handed over 5,207 hectares of land to Indonesia as compensation for three villages in the Nunukan area near the Sabah-Kalimantan border are untrue and deceptive, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He urged all parties to exercise caution and prudence in making statements and not to use the issue for narrow political gain, which could harm Malaysia’s interests and the good bilateral relations between the two countries.

According to him, the government cannot accept statements from certain parties that he described as insulting the country’s efforts, including the sacrifices of officers involved in field assignments to resolve the border issue with the neighbouring country.

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“We should also take this opportunity to express our highest appreciation to officers in the border affairs, topography and mapping divisions, Attorney General’s Chambers, as well as military personnel who had to trek through dense forests to ensure the maps could be finalised.

“So I hope that, even if the opposition chooses not to acknowledge or thank the officers involved… there is no need to make rude or insulting statements. If you are unsure (about an issue), ask first and do not resort to abuse,” he said during a Special Briefing Session on the Malaysia-Indonesia border alignment issue in the Dewan Rakyat today.

According to Anwar, based on records dating back to 1919, the 5,207-hectare area was never certified as belonging to Malaysia and was never claimed as the country’s territory.

“The government’s position is clear that all border determinations must be based on valid agreements and conventions. Malaysia also highly respects the mutual consensus between Malaysia and the Republic of Indonesia in determining the land border between the two countries,” he said.

The Prime Minister stressed that negotiations on the Malaysia-Indonesia border are still ongoing and involve several sensitive matters that have yet to be finalised, including issues concerning five land border areas, the intertidal zone in the Sabah-North Kalimantan sector, as well as four Outstanding Boundary Problem (OBP) areas in the Sarawak-West Kalimantan sector.

He said the negotiation and border demarcation process has been ongoing for 47 years since 1977 and has been resolved in stages, but the government is of the view that the process should be expedited to safeguard good relations between the two countries based on international agreements and conventions.

“In all negotiations involving Sabah and Sarawak, representatives of the Sabah state government, including the Chief Minister’s Office, the Sabah State Attorney General’s Office, the Sabah Land and Survey Department, as well as related agencies, have been fully involved. Every inch of land was negotiated and agreed upon before being finalised at the government-to-government level with Indonesia,” he said.

Anwar also rejected claims that the government had handed over the Ambalat area, stressing that the matter has not been finalised and describing the allegations as being made without reference to facts and accurate data.

He also dismissed statements accusing him of betraying the country, stressing that such claims must be corrected.

“Matters touching on national interests, including borders, must be discussed prudently. I have no problem with any opposition lawmaker asking questions, but I strongly object to accusations and slander claiming that we have betrayed the nation.

“So it would be best, since I have presented the facts and maps, to review them carefully… there are parts that have not been finalised and parts that have,” he said.

Commenting on bilateral relations, the Prime Minister said Malaysia and Indonesia have long maintained good cooperation on border issues.

“We must safeguard our relationship with Indonesia, which has been very good since 1974. We may differ in opinions, but we should not pass judgment or offend our friends in Indonesia who are working to ensure that relations between the two countries remain strong and close,” he said.

-- BERNAMA