Indonesia’s parliament will form a special team to investigate recent claims Malaysia grabbed West Kalimantan land, the Jakarta Post has reported.
Jakarta and Putrajaya have already rubbished the allegation Malaysia shifted the border markers in its favour recently. Both governments said there was no evidence to show the markers had been moved.
But the paper said head of Indonesia’s Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Tjahjo Kumolo, who disclosed the set-up of the special investigation team, insisted there was basis to the theft allegation.
“We would not have made the accusation if we did not have the data,” Tjahjo was quoted as saying by Indonesia’s state news agency Antara.
“We suspect that some of the boundary markers have been moved and that there is a scandal behind this, because there is coal mining in the border area,” he said, adding Indonesian lawmakers were disappointed at their government’s lack of gravity in dealing with the alleged land grab.
The dispute first emerged last Saturday after several Indonesian MPs visited the area.
Its Parliament’s defence and foreign affairs commission deputy head TB Hasanudin was reported to have said Indonesia had lost 1,400 hectares in Camar Bulan and eight hectares in Tanjung Datu, both in West Kalimantan, to Malaysia.
Indonesian Home Minister Gamawan Fauzi said border issues between the two countries were discussed annually and that Malaysia could not be accused of illegally occupying Indonesian lands.
Indonesia’s Foreign Minister RM Marty Natalegawa said there were no border disputes between Malaysia and Indonesia as both countries referred to the Dutch-British treaties of 1891, 1915 and 1928.
Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman also said the matter had been resolved with both parties committed to the existing border.
“This is just politics by some individuals in Indonesia,” he said.
