Malaysia asserts sovereignty over ND6 and ND7 blocks in Sulawesi Sea
According to a written reply posted on the Parliament portal, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, better known as Wisma Putra, stated that the stance was based on international law following the decision of the International Court of Justice in 2002.
'In this regard, the reference to 'Ambalat' for parts of the blocks is inaccurate and misleading. Therefore, the correct term for the area in question, in line with Malaysia's position, is the Sulawesi Sea,' the ministry said.
The ministry was responding to a question from Datuk Jonathan Yasin (GRS-Ranau), who asked whether the consent of the Sabah Government would be sought before any agreement is made with the Indonesian Government regarding a proposed joint development approach for the Ambalat block, which reportedly lies partly within Sabah's maritime area.
The ministry explained that during Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's official visit to Indonesia on June 27, both leaders issued a joint statement on the proposed joint development in the Sulawesi Sea.
'The joint proposal refers to a matter that is still in the early stages of consideration to explore the feasibility of such cooperation and has yet to be finalised.
'This represents initial efforts by both leaders to seek the best solution for both countries,' it stated.
Wisma Putra said the Federal Government had always worked closely with the Sabah State Government during negotiations and discussions to resolve maritime boundary issues between Malaysia and Indonesia.
It also said the Federal Government took seriously the views and stance of the state government in making any decision to ensure Malaysia's sovereignty, sovereign rights, and interests were protected.
The ministry added that discussions on maritime boundaries were based on legal and technical principles, conducted in a careful and prudent manner.
'In this matter, the government continuously undertakes thorough and comprehensive assessments of any proposed solutions, including economic cooperation, in search of outcomes that are mutually beneficial for both parties,' it said.
The Foreign Ministry also stressed that it closely collaborated with relevant stakeholders on matters relating to Malaysia's maritime boundaries through a whole-of-government approach and was committed to negotiations with neighbouring countries to reach mutually agreed solutions. - Bernama
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malaysian Reserve
2 hours ago
- Malaysian Reserve
Dasar Wanita Negara 2025-2030 outlines inclusive push for women's development
by AKMAR ANNUAR MALAYSIA'S renewed commitment to women's empowerment takes centre stage at Parliament with the launch of a special walkabout event highlighting the National Women's Policy or Dasar Wanita Negara (DWN) and its 2025-2030 Action Plan today. Spearheaded by former Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Women, Family and Community Development Minister (KPWKM) Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, the DWN is the most comprehensive update to the country's gender policy framework since 2009. The policy seeks to position women as key agents of inclusive national development, with strategic focus on four pillars — economy, leadership, safety and wellbeing — while embedding gender-sensitive budgeting, data and governance across ministries and agencies. 'It is important for a woman to raise the image of a woman and what she can contribute to the country. When the policy shows that we pay attention to this, it shows the goodness of the future, God willing, for women in the development of the country,' Dr Wan Azizah said during the event. She added that the policy must also account for the often-overlooked contributions of women in informal roles, including as unpaid homemakers and caregivers. 'As a mother and a homemaker who is not paid, it is important for us to be inspiring and provide (the necessary) support,' she said. The remarks highlight an ongoing challenge in Malaysia's labour landscape: Despite women making up nearly half of the population, their participation in the formal workforce remains low. In 2023, the female labour force participation rate stood at just 56.2% compared to 82.3% for men. Data from the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) further revealed that many women leave the workforce mid-career, with limited return. This is particularly acute among mothers and informal caregivers, whose economic contributions are often excluded from official productivity measures. DWN 2025-2030 aims to address this imbalance through structural reforms and support systems that enable more women to enter and remain in the workforce. These include expanding access to affordable childcare, promoting flexible work arrangements and increasing women's participation in high-growth sectors such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), artificial intelligence (AI) and green technology. Among its key targets, the policy sets an ambitious goal to raise the female labour force participation rate to 60% by 2030 and to grow the number of women entrepreneurs registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) by one million. The government also plans to strengthen leadership pipelines for women, with the aim of ensuring at least 30% female representation in decision-making positions across public and private sectors. Yet current statistics reveal a gap. As of July 2025, only 13.5% of Dewan Rakyat members and 16.1% of Dewan Negara members are women — well below the 30% benchmark recommended in the policy. The walkabout event held in Parliament was intended to rally cross-party support and catalyse institutional change to address this deficit. Nancy described the renewed policy as a catalyst for elevating Malaysia's international standing on gender equity and social inclusion, especially in line with global frameworks like the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). 'I believe that the National Women's Policy 2025-2030 will continue to serve as a strong foundation in championing women's rights in Malaysia,' she said in the preface to the executive summary of the policy document. Nancy also said the policy's emphasis on inclusivity would help improve Malaysia's scores in key global indices such as the Global Gender Gap Index (GGGI) and the World Competitiveness Ranking (WCR), where Malaysia currently lags behind regional peers. Malaysia ranked 114th out of 148 countries in the 2024 GGGI, with a score of 0.668. Within ASEAN, the country sits ninth among 10 member states, reflecting persisting gender gaps in economic participation, political representation and leadership. DWN 2025-2030 proposes a whole-of-nation approach to address these issues, with 12 'change drivers' and four enablers: Gender-responsive budgeting, gender-disaggregated data, gender impact assessments and gender audits. In practical terms, this means each government ministry is expected to incorporate gender-based analysis into policy development and budget planning. This includes improving access to sex-disaggregated data and introducing mechanisms to track the outcomes of policies on women's participation, safety and wellbeing. The plan also calls for a gender-inclusive public safety framework, including the introduction of a dedicated women's security sub-index within Malaysia's national safety indicators. Moreover, it encourages more women to enter traditionally male-dominated sectors such as defence, law enforcement and public order. Complementing the macro policies are proposals to strengthen social support systems and outreach programmes, including mobile health clinics for women in rural areas, expanded literacy on legal rights and improved digital infrastructure for women entrepreneurs in Sabah and Sarawak. The policy also outlines the creation of a Women's Leadership Hub and a national campaign to promote visibility and public trust in female leaders. This includes strategic use of media and community engagement to amplify the contributions of women at all levels of society — from Parliament to the 'kampung'. Ultimately, DWN 2025-2030 reaffirms the government's commitment to build a fairer and more competitive Malaysia by unlocking the potential of its female population. By removing structural barriers and investing in inclusive systems, the policy aims to reposition women not as secondary stakeholders, but as equal partners in the nation's growth. 'The success of a nation lies in its ability to empower all its people — and that includes women in every sphere of life,' Nancy said. The full implementation of DWN 2025-2030 will span the next five years, synchronised with the national development planning cycle, and will be spearheaded by the Women's Development Department under KPWKM.
Malaysiakini
3 hours ago
- Malaysiakini
Prabowo told to press Anwar to extradite wanted businessperson
An Indonesian anti-graft watchdog has urged President Prabowo Subianto to press Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on the return of a key corruption suspect, Riza Chalid, who is believed to be or previously resided in Malaysia. In an open letter shared with the media, Masyarakat Anti-Korupsi Indonesia (Maki) spokesperson Boyamin Saiman said Indonesian authorities have yet to arrest or detain Riza, allegedly due to his location outside the republic.
Borneo Post
3 hours ago
- Borneo Post
Abang Johari in Jakarta for pre-meeting ahead of Malaysia-Indonesia Annual Consultation
Abang Johari's arrival at Jakarta today – Photo from Ukas KUCHING (July 28): Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has arrived in Jakarta with the Sarawak government delegation to attend a pre-meeting session in conjunction with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's official visit to Indonesia and the 13th Annual Malaysia–Indonesia Consultation today. According to a report from Sarawak Public Communications Unit (Ukas), Abang Johari and his delegation landed safely at Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport at 11.17am local time before heading to Hotel Indonesia Kempinski Jakarta. He was accompanied by Sarawak State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki and Deputy Minister for Utility and Telecommunication (Sarawak Energy Berhad and PETROS) Dato Ibrahim Baki. During his stay in Jakarta, he is scheduled to join Anwar in several official programmes, including a meeting with senior editors from Indonesian media and members of the Malaysia-Indonesia Journalists' Friendship Association (ISWAMI), as well as a bilateral meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo at the Merdeka Palace on Tuesday. The programme will also see the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on health cooperation between Malaysia's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Indonesia's Minister of Health. Both delegations are then scheduled to hold the 13th Annual Consultation session, which is an important platform for strengthening Malaysia-Indonesia bilateral ties. Abang Johari will also join the Malaysian delegation for a visit to the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta. The visit includes a tree-planting ceremony, a group photo session to mark Malaysia's ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, a guest book signing, and the symbolic handover of a painting to reaffirm regional cooperation. Abang Johari Tun Openg anwar ibrahim bilateral ties Indonesia-Malaysia lead
