He then urged the people to uphold the principle of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).
“I think the principle that we are one country, NKRI, should be our guideline. Thank God, there has been a common understanding (to resolve the issue),” he said during a limited meeting on Tuesday to discuss the dispute over four islands claimed by both Aceh and North Sumatra provinces.
The President, who was on his way to Russia, joined the meeting via video conference.
During the meeting, he determined that the four islands—Panjang, Lipan, Mangkir Gadang, and Mangkir Ketek—form a part of the administrative territory of Aceh, based on historical documents showing an agreement to this effect between two previous Aceh and North Sumatra governors.
He then asked his staff to immediately notify the public about the central government’s stance on the polemic so that the problem does not drag on.
“Immediately announce it to the public so that it does not become a topic to create a commotion again,” he ordered.
During the limited meeting, Aceh Governor Muzakir Manaf and North Sumatra Governor Muhammad Bobby Nasution signed a joint agreement on the resolution of the dispute over the four islands.
The agreement signing was witnessed by Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian and State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi, who followed the meeting from the Presidential Palace in Jakarta.
The dispute over the four islands emerged after the issuance of the Decree of the Minister of Home Affairs Number 300.2.2-2138 of 2025 concerning the Provision and Updating of Codes and Data on Government Administrative Areas and Islands, which was enforced on April 25, 2025.
In the decree, the Ministry of Home Affairs described the islands as a part of the Central Tapanuli district, North Sumatra. They were earlier included in the administrative area of Aceh Singkil district, Aceh.
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Translator: Genta Tenri M., Andi Firdaus, Yashinta Difa
Editor: Azis Kurmala
Copyright © ANTARA 2025
