Indonesia-Malaysia dispute must be resolved quickly

House of Representatives speaker Marzuki Alie said that both Indonesia and Malaysia must quickly settle their differences over border territorial issues.

“This border issue has never been fully resolved,” Marzuki, from the Democratic Party, told reporters at the House in Jakarta on Friday.

Marzuki also admitted that he could fully comprehend President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s decision to not yet issue an official statement on the border dispute with Malaysia.

“A president cannot be recklessly emotional in dealing with issues. So, what [Yudhoyono] has done so far is proper,” Marzuki said.

The latest dispute occurred when Malaysian Marine Police detained three Indonesian Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry inspectors last Friday after the latter and other Indonesian officers, who arrested seven Malaysian fishermen for trespassing and illegally fishing in Indonesian waters, had ignored the Malaysian officers’ warning shots.