Border markers damaged, but territory not lost: Marty

Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa stressed on Wednesday that Indonesia had not lost a chunk of its territory in Camar Bulan and Tanjung Datu, West Kalimantan, to neighboring state Malaysia, but admitted that the border markers had been damaged.

“The markers have been damaged by erosion in one place and also ruined in other places,” he said, as quoted by tribunnews.com.

He said that a survey team dispatched in March had discovered the damage.

If the damage was purposely carried out by certain parties, then action should be taken against them, Marty added.

“If there are individuals who moved the markers, then there is a mechanism and procedures that can be used to follow up on that,” he said.

According to Marty, although the markers may have been disabled, Malaysia could not claim the territory as borders have also been regulated with coordinates, as well as a border agreement drawn up between the two countries.

He added that his ministry is engaged in ongoing talks with Malaysia regarding the agreement.