Editorial: Honor thy neighbor

History tells us that any border issue Indonesia has with Malaysia is more likely to trigger hostilities than those with its other neighbors, despite the shared cultural roots of the two nations.

Ties between Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta are being put to the test again following allegations made by Indonesian politicians that Malaysia annexed nearly 1,500 hectares of Indonesian territory in Camar Bulan, West Kalimantan, and 800 meters of coastline nearby Tanjung Datu.

While the government has denied the border dispute, the matter has unfortunately been reduced to polemics between lawmakers, or more precisely between the opposition, and the government. Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Djoko Suyanto has gone so far as to demand that Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) lawmaker TB Hasanuddin, the man who started the fire, retract his allegations.

The war of words comes has been played out against a backdrop of the political tensions plaguing Indonesia in connection with corruption allegations surrounding the disbursement of state funds and an impending Cabinet reshuffle. It is naïve, however, to connect the spat to ongoing political bickering, just because a delegation of House of Representatives members, including Hasanuddin, made the allegations after visiting the West Kalimantan border recently.

The government’s statement that Malaysia did not seize Indonesian territory is premature and has failed to convince the public there is no dispute. It would be better for the government to verify the lawmakers’ findings and refrain from sending signals that even minor problems must be swept under the carpet for the sake of neighborly relations.

Indonesia and Malaysia have often been involved in territorial disputes, notably the battle at the International Court of Justice over Sipadan and Ligitan Islands, which Malaysia won in 2002 .

The negotiations Indonesia and Malaysia will hold from Oct. 16 to 18 on maritime borders and an economic exclusive zone will provide Indonesia momentum to address the latest border issue.

A failure to do so will create sporadic but irritating tensions, as in the case of the oil and gas rich Ambalat dispute, which has remained unsettled.

Both Indonesia and Malaysia have survived decades of ups and downs in their relationship, thanks in part to their commitment to mutual respect. There is no doubt they will pass any future test.