Malaysia-Indonesia maritime border deal safeguards sovereignty
The Prime Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, has reassured the public that the newly signed Malaysia-Indonesia maritime border agreement does not compromise the nation’s sovereignty or interests. He emphasised that Malaysia would never sacrifice its sovereignty, and the agreement was carefully considered, involving input from relevant parties and only covering areas agreed upon by both countries.
Anwar Ibrahim stated, “Is it comprehensive? Yes, it is a comprehensive settlement, but what has not been agreed upon is a small area involving the Sabah border…Indonesia is clear with our demands and we are also clear with their demands.”
He further explained that the issue of compromise was not a factor, as the country’s sovereignty could not be sacrificed. The Prime Minister’s statement came during the Ministers Question Time (MQT) in the Dewan Rakyat, where he responded to a supplementary question from Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who inquired about the comprehensiveness of the maritime boundary agreement in safeguarding Malaysia’s maritime rights and sovereignty.
“The issue of compromise does not arise…the country’s sovereignty cannot be sacrificed…we are firm in our stand that we will not sacrifice an inch of our land,” Anwar Ibrahim declared. This assurance aims to alleviate concerns and reaffirm Malaysia’s commitment to protecting its territorial integrity and interests in the region.
