Reveal Maritime Border Treaty With Indonesia Says Pn

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Malaysia and Indonesia signed treaties to demarcate their maritime borders in the Straits of Malacca and the Sulawesi Sea in June. (Bernama pic)PETALING JAYA: The federal government has been urged to declassify the maritime border treaty signed with Indonesia in June, in order to end speculation about signing away rights to the oil-rich disputed Ambalat block in the Sulawesi Sea.
Sabah Perikatan Nasional chairman Ronald Kiandee said the declassification would provide clarity on the extent to which the treaty encompasses the Ambalat block. It would also put to rest speculation about Malaysia relinquishing its interests in the Sulawesi Sea, he said in a statement.
“The Ambalat block, spanning 15,000 sq km, is said to possess the world’s largest crude oil reserves and has long been defended by Malaysia.
“We must not compromise our country’s sovereignty, especially in Sabah waters, which also involves the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf shared by Malaysia and Indonesia,” he said.
Kiandee also said several media reports suggesting a collaboration between Malaysia and Indonesia in oil and gas exploration at the Ambalat block brought more concern to the issue.
These reports quoted Indonesia’s director-general of oil and gas Tutuka Ariadji.
“The government bears a moral responsibility to address the Ambalat block issue openly and comprehensively to alleviate concerns among Malaysians, especially Sabahans,” he said.
On Aug 10, Tungku assemblyman Assafal P Alian claimed that Malaysia had surrendered the Ambalat block to Indonesia.
Assafal’s claim was later disputed by deputy foreign affairs minister Mohamad Alamin who said the agreement signed by both countries only pertained to the territorial sea.
Overlapping territorial claims between Malaysia and Indonesia in the Sulawesi Sea or Ambalat, situated between East Kalimantan, Indonesia and southeastern Sabah, have been ongoing since Malaysia published an official map of its territory in 1979. - FMT

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