KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 — Malaysia and Indonesia have inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to resolve international boundary issues involving both countries.

The Water, Land and Natural Resources Ministry in a statement today said the MoU was signed during the 42nd Meeting of the Joint Indonesia-Malaysia Boundary Committee on the Demarcation and Survey of the International Boundary between Malaysia (Sabah & Sarawak) and Indonesia (Kalimantan Utara & Kalimantan Barat) (JIM-42), held in Bandung from October 9 until today.

"The Malaysian delegation was led by the ministry's Secretary General Datuk Tan Yew Chong while the Indonesian delegations was led by Secretary General Ministry of Home Affairs Indonesia Hadi Probowo. The meeting was co-chaired by both of them.

"During this JIM-42, both of them who are also chairmen of the National Joint Boundary Committee signed the MoU (Mou-21) with maps (related parts of Sabah dan Sarawak) attached to the said Mou,” it said.

The ministry said that the meeting had also reached mutual understanding and resolved two Outstanding Boundary Problem (OBP) areas, the border areas near the vicinity of Simantipal River and Kampung Long Pasia in Sipitang district in the Sabah-Kalimantan Utara sector.

"This committee is in the process of preparing the necessary documentation for the conclusion of the MoU. It is expected to be finalised and signed at the next meeting,” it said.

The Malaysia-Indonesia international boundary was based on the Boundary Convention signed between Great Britain and Netherlands on June 20, 1891, Boundary Agreement on September 28, 1915 and Boundary Convention on March 26, 1928. — Bernama