RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Malaysia has reaffirmed its commitment to sovereignty and mutual prosperity with Indonesia, following recent media reports concerning the Sabah–Kalimantan border.

The Malaysian government stressed that claims published on January 22, 2026, alleging Malaysia had “granted 5,207 hectares of land to Indonesia as compensation for three Nunukan villages becoming part of Malaysia” were inaccurate.

In a statement issued Friday, January 23, 2026, in Kuala Lumpur, Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) Dato’ Sri Arthur Joseph Kurup explained that negotiations over the Outstanding Boundary Problem (OBP) have been conducted harmoniously between the two nations.

He emphasized that the process was not based on reciprocity, compensation, or profit-and-loss calculations. The finalization of land border measurements was achieved through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on February 18, 2025, after more than 45 years of comprehensive and transparent technical discussions.

Arthur noted that both Malaysia and Indonesia had agreed to accelerate the resolution of border issues in the Sabah–North Kalimantan sector, a commitment reinforced during former Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s state visit to Malaysia on June 8, 2023.

He added that representatives from the Sabah state administration participated in the negotiations, which relied on scientific measurements grounded in earlier treaties.

These included the Boundary Convention of 1891, the Boundary Agreement of 1915, and the Boundary Convention of 1928, supported by precise geospatial coordinates. “Adjustments were made strictly in line with international law, not political concessions,” Arthur said, as quoted by Antara.

Malaysia underscored that securing a fully recognized border carries greater long-term strategic value than holding onto disputed areas lacking legal legitimacy. A finalized border, Arthur explained, strengthens Malaysia’s international legal standing and prevents future territorial claims.

Both countries continue to prioritize diplomacy and sustained dialogue to resolve boundary issues, guided by principles of friendship and solidarity, while ensuring harmony and preventing conflict on the ground.

Earlier, the Indonesian National Border Management Agency (BNPP) reported to the House of Representatives that the OBP had been agreed upon during the 45th Joint Indonesia–Malaysia meeting in February 2025.

BNPP noted that three villages of Kabungalor, Lipaga, and Tetagas in Nunukan, North Kalimantan, are now part of Malaysia, while approximately 5,207 hectares of Malaysian territory have been incorporated into Indonesia for the development of a free trade zone.

This clarification, Malaysia’s NRES stressed, was necessary to dispel inaccuracies and reaffirm the cooperative spirit underpinning bilateral border agreements. ***