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New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Talks ongoing with Indonesia on jointly developing Sulawesi Sea blocks
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that discussions with Indonesia on jointly developing areas in the Sulawesi Sea, specifically blocks ND6 and ND7, are still ongoing, and no agreement has been reached yet. He said discussions will resume on July 29 and will include Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, as the state's maritime borders will be addressed, and Hajiji's input will be necessary before any potential resolution can be reached. "There is no agreement yet regarding the Sulawesi Sea. Therefore, when negotiations reach this topic, the (Sabah) government will be involved," he said during the Prime Minister's Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today. The annual consultation between Malaysia and Indonesia on July 29 will also be joined by Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg. Last month, Anwar and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto expressed the strong commitment of both countries to accelerate strategic cooperation in various fields, including joint development in the maritime border area of Malaysia and Indonesia in a peaceful and mutually beneficial manner. Anwar added that the details of the proposed joint development areas were not made public due to the non-disclosure clause. He said Malaysia remains firm on its sovereignty over the two areas. "The important thing is that the status of the Sulawesi Sea has not been finalised. Our final decision is based on the Sulawesi Sea Treaty Agreement, but Indonesia does not agree. "What is our stance? There are two options, either to go to war or to negotiate, and we choose to negotiate." Anwar was responding to a supplementary question from Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee (PN-Beluran) regarding whether a joint development area has been signed with Indonesia to develop the Sulawesi Sea, including the ND6 and ND7 blocks claimed by both countries, and why Sabah was not involved in the negotiations held in Jakarta on June 27. Commenting further, Anwar explained that his visit to Jakarta (last month) was an informal one, as a reciprocal gesture to the visit of Prabowo, who had already visited Malaysia four times. He said that there was no official agenda set, but he and Prabowo did discuss informal matters.
The Star
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Nothing final yet on Sulawesi Sea issue with Indonesia, PM tells Dewan Rakyat
KUALA LUMPUR: No conclusive agreement has been reached with Indonesia on the maritime border dispute involving two islands in the Sulawesi Sea, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. The Prime Minister said that although the International Court of Justice (ICJ) had decided in 2002 that Ligitan and Sipadan belonged to Malaysia, there was still a dispute over the maritime borders at Blocks ND6 and ND7 of the Sulawesi Sea owing to conflicting intertidal claims. "We are friends with Indonesia and are (negotiating) with them on the issue," he told Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee (PN-Beluran) in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (July 22). Although he had met with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on four previous occasions, Anwar said talks between them on several issues, including jointly developing the disputed maritime areas, were informal. ALSO READ: Ambalat issue: Proposal for joint development in Sulawesi Sea yet to be finalised "We have been invited to Jakarta on July 29 for talks, and the Sabah Chief Minister has been invited to be part of the delegation because it involves his state's borders. "Sabah has not given its agreement (to any proposals) and neither have we (Putrajaya). "Talks have not been finalised and nothing has been agreed upon... (they) remain merely proposals," he added. ALSO READ: Anwar, Prabowo agree to boost strategic cooperation, to jointly develop Ambalat area Kiandee wanted to know the details of a purported "agreement" between Malaysia and Indonesia in 2023 on the maritime border issue involving Blocks ND6 and ND7 which contain, on the high end of estimates, about 1.4 trillion cubic metres of gas and 760 million barrels of oil reserves. Anwar clarified that details of the proposed joint development between Malaysia and Indonesia to develop the areas were not made public owing to a non-disclosure clause because both Blocks ND6 and ND7 – referred to by Indonesia as the Ambalat Block – were not part of the 2023 agreement. He said Malaysia remains firm on its sovereignty over the two areas. ALSO READ: Ambalat block: Declassify agreement with Indonesia in public interest, says Kiandee "Should we choose armed conflict to resolve the dispute, or negotiation? "We chose negotiation, as we are both friendly nations," he added. He also told Datuk Mohd Shahar Abdullah (BN-Paya Besar) that efforts have been made to beef up border security between the two nations, particularly in Sabah and Sarawak. This includes the acquisition of new patrol vessels for the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and an additional RM40mil allocation for the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom). Shahar had asked what was being done to improve border security in Sabah and Sarawak in light of the rapid development of Indonesia's new capital city, Nusantara, located in East Kalimantan.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Malaysia's plan for Middle East tensions in Dewan Rakyat focus
KUALA LUMPUR: The government's short-term and long-term action plans to address geopolitical tensions in the Middle East will be a key focus in today's Dewan Rakyat sitting. According to the Order Paper, Mohd Sany Hamzan (PH-Hulu Langat) will raise the issue during the Minister's Question Time. Another significant topic involves Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee (PN-Beluran), who will question the Prime Minister on how the 2002 International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling on Ligitan and Sipadan Islands could affect maritime boundary negotiations with Indonesia in the Sulawesi Sea, including sovereignty over blocks ND6 and ND7. During the oral answers session, Mohd Syahir Che Sulaiman (PN-Bachok) will seek clarification from the Investment, Trade and Industry Minister on government measures to tackle US tariff issues involving state governments. Meanwhile, Datuk Seri Sh Mohmed Puzi Sh Ali (BN-Pekan) will ask the Agriculture and Food Security Minister about savings from subsidy cuts and their impact on the egg market. The session will proceed with the first reading of the Poisons (Amendment) Bill 2025, followed by the second reading of the Street, Drainage and Building (Amendment) Bill 2025 and the Whistleblower Protection (Amendment) 2025. The Second Meeting of the Fourth Session of the 15th Parliament is set for 24 days, with the 13th Malaysia Plan slated for tabling on July 31. - Bernama
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Govt may make compulsory MyDigital ID registration
KUALA LUMPUR: The government is considering legislation to encourage, or make compulsory, MyDigital ID registration among Malaysians, the Dewan Rakyat heard yesterday. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the voluntary nature of registration had hindered uptake. "Encouraging wider adoption has been challenging due to its voluntary registration nature. This requires discussion, particularly on strategies to boost participation. "The government is exploring the option of introducing legislation that could promote or require Malaysians to register for MyDigital ID," she said in reply to a supplementary question from Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee (PN-Beluran). Kiandee said the recent autogate system glitch had sparked public concerns about the broader digital initiative, particularly on data privacy and security, the role of implementing agencies, digital accessibility and potential misuse. He also noted MyDigital ID's low adoption rate compared to platforms like Padu and Budi Madani. Dr Zaliha said the autogate incident had understandably raised worries among the public. "However, security measures are being strengthened for MyDigital ID, which ensures that security protocols are strictly maintained, data is not stored, and overall safety is prioritised." She said the government was working closely with various entities, including the private sector, to boost the adoption and utilisation of MyDigital ID across various services. Meanwhile, Dr Zaliha said registrations rose to 2.8 million as of the second quarter of this year, an increase from 1.8 million in the first quarter. "The number is expected to continue rising with the expansion of 'use case', referring to applications or services where MyDigital ID is used." She said this included logging into the MyGOV portal, the MyJPJ app and verification for prepaid SIM card owners. "This is because each new use case creates a demand for digital identity verification, thereby driving up registration among the public." Integrations have expanded to 35 government systems, with another 17 in the implementation stage and 21 in early discussions. "Seven non-government application systems have been integrated, with two more in the process, totalling 82 systems, nearly double March's figure." MyDigital ID will also extend to digital applications in the financial and banking sectors.
Daily Express
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Express
Government may introduce law to make MyDigital ID mandatory, says minister
Published on: Monday, July 21, 2025 Published on: Mon, Jul 21, 2025 By: Minderjeet Kaur, Shermaine Choe, FMT Text Size: Federal territories minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the MyDigital ID system uses biometric and cryptographic technologies to ensure security and prevent data breaches. Kuala Lumpur: The government is considering introducing a law to regulate and boost the MyDigital ID system to tackle the scepticism surrounding the initiative, the Dewan Rakyat was told today. Federal territories minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the current voluntary registration model for the digital ID system was a limitation that the government was looking to address. Advertisement 'Right now the government is looking at the possibility of formulating an Act for MyDigital ID, to potentially make it mandatory for people to sign up,' she said. Zaliha was responding to a supplementary question from Ronald Kiandee (PN-Beluran), who had raised concerns about public confidence in the initiative. Kiandee cited the recent disruption of the autogate system at the Johor customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) complex, which he said was linked to integration issues, as an example of what could erode public trust. 'Three days ago, we were informed about a disruption to the autogate system at the Johor CIQ, which was said to have been caused by the integration system. 'Actually, this is a concern for Malaysians and the public regarding the initiative. There are concerns about privacy and security, the reliability of digital infrastructure and the implementing agencies, and the potential for misuse,' he said. Kiandee also noted that only 2.8 million Malaysians had registered for MyDigital ID as of the second quarter of 2025 – less than the number of those who had signed up for other government initiatives like PADU and Budi. MyDigital ID is a national digital identification initiative developed in 2016, aimed at providing a secure and authenticated method for verifying identities online. The system is intended for use across both public and private sectors to verify user identities during online transactions. Zaliha said the government did not store users' personal data, and that the MyDigital ID system used biometric and cryptographic technologies to ensure security and prevent data breaches. She also said the government was working with stakeholders to boost adoption of the platform. 'We are encouraging cooperation with all parties, including the private sector,' she said. Earlier, Zaliha said that the number of government and non-government systems integrated with MyDigital ID had nearly doubled to 82 since March. She said the platform would continue expanding its use across both public and private sectors, including the financial industry where six banks have completed sandbox testing under Bank Negara Malaysia. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
