Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim have agreed to pursue economic cooperation in the Ambalat sea block, despite an ongoing maritime border dispute in the area.
The two leaders discussed border issues during their meeting at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Friday afternoon.
“Since we recognize that resolving border issues can take time, we have agreed to seek mutually beneficial solutions,” President Prabowo said during a joint press conference.
“In the case of Ambalat, we are aiming to establish economic cooperation under a joint development scheme while awaiting legal resolution,” he added.
Prabowo emphasized that both governments are aligned on the importance of moving forward with economic collaboration without waiting for a final settlement of territorial disputes.
“We share the same view that we must work together to protect our national interests,” he said.
Prime Minister Anwar echoed this sentiment, noting that legal resolution may take years, but that should not hinder progress in other areas.
“As mentioned earlier, we can cooperate in the Ambalat area through a joint development initiative,” Anwar said. “It may take up to two decades to reach a legal settlement.”
He reaffirmed that the two nations could use this period to explore mutually beneficial collaboration.
“I believe we will find a quick and fair solution,” he added.
Beyond the Ambalat issue, the two leaders also discussed other border areas, including the boundary between Indonesia’s North Kalimantan province and Malaysia’s Sabah state—both located on the island of Borneo (Kalimantan).
Prabowo and Anwar held a one-on-one meeting for about an hour in the president’s office before attending a luncheon and broader bilateral talks with their respective delegations.
Anwar’s visit to Indonesia is a follow-up to Prabowo’s trip to Kuala Lumpur on May 26–27 this year.
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Translator: Genta T, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Anton Santoso
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