Ambalat block: Declassify agreement with Indonesia in public interest, says Kiandee

KOTA KINABALU: The government should declassify the maritime delimitation treaty between Malaysia and Indonesia in the name of public interest, says Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee.

The Sabah Perikatan Nasional chairman said the declassification of the agreement, which was signed between the two countries during Indonesia president Joko Widodo’s visit to Malaysia in June, could clear the air about the matter.

It will also put a stop to all speculations including some claiming that Malaysia has “signed off” its interest in the Sulawesi Sea with the agreement, he said.

The Ambalat block measuring 15,000km per sq foot in the centre of the territories still in dispute outside Sabah’s coastal area is said to have the largest source of crude oil in the world and it has been defended by the Malaysian government for so long, said Kiandee.

“This cannot be pawned off at any cost.

“We cannot compromise when it comes to the sovereignty of our country especially in Sabah waters, which also involves the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf between Malaysia and Indonesia,” he added.

Kiandee said maritime experts involved in the protection of Malaysian territorial rights had warned Putrajaya to not sign any new agreements with Indonesia to solve the issue which had been under dispute for so long.

He said it was important that whatever was meted in the agreement to be publicised to stop all speculations and concerns and to prove that it had nothing to do with the area referred to as Block ND6, Block ND7 or Ambalat.

He said several media reports claiming that Malaysia and Indonesia were working together in oil and gas exploration at the Ambalat block were also adding more concern to the issue.

The reports quoted Indonesian Oil and Gas, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources director-general Tutuka Ariadji.