(The Star) PUTRAJAYA: The Indonesian Government had never officially protested against alleged encroachment by Malaysian enforcement agencies into the disputed Ambalat waters, despite allegations by the media there.
Foreign Minister Datuk Anifah Aman said the Indonesian media had been known to play up issues, especially during elections in the country, and he believed the hype now was related to the presidential polls next month.
Even the name Ambalat was coined by the Indonesian media, a reference to the Ambalat oil and gas concession block within the disputed area, which Malaysian maritime agencies know as the Sulawesi Sea.
Malaysia had chosen to address the issue through diplomatic channels, Anifah said, and had issued 13 protest notes over encroachment by Indonesian maritime enforcement agencies since 2007, the latest in April this year.
The two countries had in fact been working to find an amicable solution through a joint technical committee, he told a press conference after handing out Excellence Service Awards to 99 of the ministry’s staff members here Monday.
He said the technical committee had met 13 times so far, and Malaysia expected the 14th meeting, to be held here next month, to offer a step forward in finding a solution.
“We will continue to use diplomatic channels to find a solution, and we will not be drawn into waging a media war that can lead to unnecessary problems between the people of the two countries,” he said.
“We also feel that it is best to settle the matter on our own rather than involve a third country or the International Crisis Group (ICG).”
He also noted the commitment given by leaders of both countries to settle the dispute in a neighbourly manner.
He expected claims of encroachment to continue until the overlapping claims in the disputed area were resolved.
To avoid unnecessary tension, the Foreign Ministry had called on the ministries concerned to ask all Malaysian maritime enforcement agencies to stay out of the disputed waters for now, he added.
Anifah also announced that the Foreign Ministry would hold a Heads of Missions Conference on June 18-22 in Putrajaya to explain the country’s foreign policies under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s leadership.
Najib would also explain in detail the 1Malaysia concept he had introduced while the heads of missions and honorary consulates would provide first hand information on the conditions for trade, investment and tourism opportunities in the countries they based in.
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