KUALA LUMPUR, April 17 — Indonesia’s ambassador to Malaysia Datuk Raden Mohammad Iman Hascarya Kusumo has denied reports from Indonesian media alleging that part of Pulau Sebatik in Sabah is now under Indonesia’s jurisdiction.
He told Berita Harian that the 127.3‑hectare area mentioned in the reports remains a “grey area” and that discussions to determine its status have not been concluded.
“I want to emphasise that (Pulau Sebatik) is not under Indonesia’s authority, it is still a ‘grey area’,” he said.
“Reports from Indonesia are not correct. Please clarify that the news is not true,” he added when contacted in Jakarta.
He said his office is seeking clearer information to determine whether the reports were false or whether the individual quoted had misstated the facts.
“I need to check the source because many things are unclear, but in any case it is not true,” he said.
Earlier, Indonesian media reported that Presidential Chief of Staff M. Qodari claimed that 127.3 hectares on Pulau Sebatik, previously within Malaysian territory, had officially become part of Indonesia following land border negotiations between the two countries.
Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has since rejected the claim, saying the reports published in Indonesia were inaccurate and did not reflect the actual outcome of Malaysia–Indonesia border discussions.
When asked whether further talks would be held soon to determine the status of the area, Raden Mohammad Iman said they were still awaiting developments.
“We are still waiting on the matter and will provide updates when available,” he said.
