Jakarta, June 2 (ANTARA) - With tensions over a near-standoff in the disputed Ambalat block on the border between Indonesia and Malaysia in the Sulawesi Sea still high, and negotiations to solve the border dispute at a halt, analysts have advised Jakarta not to be misled by Malaysia's provocative acts.
"It is vitally important for Jakarta to adopt a cautious attitude in seeking a diplomatic solution which is good for Indonesia and Malaysia," executive director of the Indonesian Institute of Strategic Studies, Begi Hersutanto, said here on Tuesday.
According to reports, until Tuesday morning (June 2), the atmosphere in Ambalat was still heating up following a number of border violations by Malaysian Navy (TDLM) warships.
Commandant of Indonesian warship "KRI Untung Suropati", Major Salim, said on Tuesday the tense situation in the Ambalat area remained unchanged and the naval units there were still on full alert. Malaysian warships had often trespassed Indonesian waters. Local fishermen were often arrested and their fish catches seized by Malaysian authorities.
"We will continue to increase and maintain alertness in Ambalat. Local fishermen have often been arrested for allegedly violating Malaysian territorial waters," he said. There should be no maneuvers by both sides in the area which is still a subject of dispute between the two countries.
"Therefore, the Indonesian navy would continue to guard Ambalat which we believe is part of the Unitary State of Indonesia," he said.
Indonesia's KRI Untung Surapati-872 warship on Sunday managed to drive away a Malaysian warship, the KD Yu-3500, which had tried to trespass Indonesian waters in the Ambalat Block.
A day earlier, the Indonesian Navy's KRI Hasanudin-366 also drove away KD Baung-3509, a helicopter of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, and a Malaysian Beachcraft which tried to enter the Ambalat Block.
According to the TNI, nine territorial violations by Malaysian marine and police vessels had happened in the recent past. Based on data obtained from House Commission I for defense affairs, Malaysia has made 11 border violations over Indonesia's territory since January.
On May 27, 2009, four Indonesian fishermen were arrested, beaten up and had their fish catches seized by the Malaysian navies. "What they should have done, if they suspected the fishermen, was to take them to their posts and if the fishermen were proven guilty they should take them to court," an Indonesian naval officer said in Tarakan, East Kalimantan meanwhile.
A researcher suggested that Indonesia should apply a shock-therapy in the face of the maneuvers of the neighboring country which is once again doing provocative acts in the Ambalat Block.
Director of the Nation Institute Research Viktus Murin said the shock-therapy could be taken in the form of the summons of the Malaysian ambassador to Indonesia for a briefing on the Malaysian Navy's violations in the border areas.
If need be, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry should issue a warning and threaten to expel the Malaysian ambassador to Indonesia.
The second shock-therapy, namely the threat to expel the Malaysian ambassador, will certainly be supported by the Indonesian people who loved the sovereignty of their country, he said.
"It has to be realized that the Malaysian provocative actions indicated that Malaysia is not a good neighbor. Therefore, Indonesia should take a firm action. We should not let ourselves be made an object of game," Viktus Murin said.
Murin said that indeed Indonesia had a very dynamic history with Malaysia. "It has been a normal thing for them to take advantage of every loophole from us for their benefit. That was why Bung Karno (Soekarno, Indonesia's first president) made a call on the Indonesian people to attack Malaysia in an effort to ward off the infiltration of henchmen of the 'Nekolim' (neocolonialism, colonialism and imperialism) in the country," he said.
On the legal avenue that the Indonesian government should take, Viktus Murin said that he supported the statement made by National Defense Institute (Lemhanas) Governor Muladi who suggested that Indonesia formed a strong team of lawyers to face Malaysia over the Ambalat issue if Malaysia took the conflict to the International Court of Justice.
However, Begi Hersutanto said that Indonesia should take a very careful attitude in the face of the Malaysian maneuvers. He suggested in the present condition Indonesia should not hold political dialog with the Malaysian legislative body to solve the problem.
"If there is an initiative to hold a legislative dialog from Malaysia, the Indonesian legislative side should well give it to the government (the executive) to find solution to the problem," Hersutanto said.
In the meantime, the Indonesian government is still waiting for confirmation from Malaysia about the continuation of negotiations on the two countries' borders.
Teuku Faizasyah said that Indonesia had insisted on continuing the negotiations with Malaysia when their teams met for the last time in July 2008.
"Both sides have to talk a lot of things in relation with Ambalat. Therefore Indonesia at the July meeting asked Malaysia to continue the talks," Faizasyah said. Malaysia has not yet given any confirmation because the neighboring country was still consolidating its negotiating team.
"We have no idea when they will finish consolidating their team of negotiators and are ready to meet us at the negotiation table," the foreign ministry spokesman said.
What is obvious is that the Indonesian government had asked for another confirmation from Malaysia over the continuation of the talks.
He said the Indonesian-Malaysian teams of negotiators on the Ambalat dispute had met 13 times since 2005 but both sides had not met any point of agreement for the settlement of their overlapping claims to the oil- and gas-rich maritime region.***4*** (T.A014/A/HAJM/17:40/a014) (T.A014/A/A014/A/A014) 02-06-2009 17:55:23 |
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