Still no agreement with Indonesia on Sabah’s Sebatik maritime border, says Hajiji

KOTA KINABALU: No agreement has been reached between Malaysia and Indonesia over the maritime boundary that includes the disputed Ambalat block in waters off the shared island of Sebatik in Tawau.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said that so far no agreement has been reached through bilateral meetings concerning Sebatik Island and the Sulawesi Sea.

Hajiji told the Sabah Assembly that Malaysia and Indonesia were committed to a comprehensive resolution of land and maritime boundaries.

He said the state government has also been actively participating in these bilateral meetings, led by the Foreign Affairs Ministry, to ensure that any negotiations or proposals involving the boundaries of Sabah are referred to the state cabinet first.

“The Sabah government maintains a clear, consistent position and will not waver in ensuring the state’s boundaries were maintained and unchallenged by neighbouring countries,” Hajiji said responding to Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal (Warisan-Senallang).

Shafie had sought clarification on the negotiations with Indonesia regarding Sebatik Island under the Sulawesi Sea Treaty and wanted to know what Indonesia is demanding and whether the agreement has been finalised or is still in the negotiations.

Hajiji told the house that the state’s boundary on Sebatik Island follows a straight line along 4°10′, starting from the East Pillar to the Low Water Line on the east side of Sebatik Island.

The Maritime Boundary signed under the Sulawesi Sea Treaty, involving only 12 nautical miles and does not put Sabah at a disadvantage on its stand over the Sebatik borders.

“Negotiations for establishing maritime boundaries beyond 12 nautical miles up to 200 nautical miles in the Sulawesi Sea (in areas ND6 and ND7), constituting the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), have not commenced.

“The boundary involving Sebatik Island, particularly the Intertidal area, is still under negotiation,” he explained.

He said the latest round of negotiations through the Special Technical Meeting (STM) held on Nov 16-17, 2023, in Tangerang, Indonesia, concluded without any fresh developments as both parties maintained their respective positions.

Malaysian negotiations were led by the Maritime Affairs Department director-general, Foreign Affairs Ministry with the state government represented by the state secretary, state Attorney General, Internal Affairs and Research secretary, Land and Survey Department.

Earlier, Assafal Alian (Warisan-Tungku) apologised and withdrew his claims in the Sabah Assembly sitting in August this year where he alleged that Sabah had lost the oil-rich Ambalat area under the signing of the Sulawesi Treaty.

Assafal told the house that he did not mean to mislead the assembly but was seeking clarification when he withdrew his claims Monday (Nov 27).

Wisma Putra had denied Assafal’s claims in the Assembly and described it as “slanderous, misleading and highly irresponsible.”