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View all search resultsIndonesia urges diplomacy as Malaysia resumes claim to Ambalat
Regardless of ongoing talks over the disputed maritime area, the two countries see eye to eye on codeveloping Ambalat for resources.
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Sugiono smiles on Oct. 21, 2024, prior to his inauguration as foreign minister of President Prabowo Subianto’s Red and White Cabinet at the State Palace in Central Jakarta. (Reuters/Willy Kurniawan)
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ndonesia has called for diplomacy to resolve the long-standing dispute over Ambalat after Malaysia recently reasserted its claim to the resource-rich maritime area as part of its territory.
“[It will be] resolved amicably, peacefully [through] diplomacy,” Foreign Minister Sugiono told reporters on Friday, as quoted by Tempo.
While acknowledging the complexity and longevity of the dispute, Abdul Kadir Jaelani, the ministry’s director general for Asia-Pacific and African affairs, echoed the stance by saying, "Indonesia adheres to ASEAN principles of resolving differences through peaceful means,” as quoted by Antara.
On Thursday, President Prabowo Subianto said the government was seeking a peaceful resolution, noting that both sides had shown goodwill.
The statements follow Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan asserting on Tuesday that Ambalat, which the country refers to as blocks ND6 and ND7, is part of Malaysia.
“These blocks fall within our sovereign area, therefore the accurate reference in line with Malaysia’s stance is Laut Sulawesi [Sulawesi Sea],” he told the lower house of parliament on Tuesday, as quoted by The Star, asking lawmakers to refrain from using the region’s Indonesian name, Ambalat.
The disputed area spans 15,235 square kilometers near the maritime border between North Kalimantan and Malaysian state of Sabah. Located off the northeastern coast of the island of Borneo, which the two countries share along with Brunei to the north, this particular boundary between Indonesia and Malaysia’s continental shelf has remained unresolved for decades, with negotiations still ongoing.
