Malaysia And Indonesia To Continue Sulawesi Sea Negotiations Next Week

REUTERS/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana

Malaysia And Indonesia To Continue Sulawesi Sea Negotiations Next Week

Friday, 25 Jul 2025

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that negotiations on maritime boundaries in the Sulawesi Sea with Indonesia will resume next Tuesday, July 29, 2025.

"On July 29, we will continue the discussion in Jakarta," said Prime Minister Anwar during a question-and-answer session at the Dewan Rakyat in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Tuesday.

He stated that representatives from the kingdoms of Sarawak and Sabah will participate in the meeting on July 29, 2025. According to him, negotiations on maritime boundaries in the Sulawesi Sea require the approval of both kingdoms.

Representatives from Sarawak and Sabah will also present their views on territorial issues.

"For official meetings involving Singapore or Indonesia, as a rule, I always invite the Premier of Sarawak and the Chief Minister of Sabah as part of the delegation," he explained.

Dewan Rakyat members also inquired about whether there were any discussions about the Sulawesi Sea during Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's recent visit to Malaysia.

Anwar stated that President Prabowo had been to Malaysia four times, but those visits were informal luncheons, as friends.

He stated that so far there has been no agreement on maritime boundaries in the Sulawesi Sea. According to Prime Minister Anwar, formal talks on the Sulawesi Sea will only take place on July 29th.

"So what's the way to do it with friendly countries? We'll negotiate. But our position is firm," Anwar said.

On that occasion, Anwar also explained the dispute over Blocks ND6 and ND7, also known as the Ambalat Block.

He stated that Malaysia remains committed to the 1979 map and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling regarding Sipadan and Ligitan Islands.

Anwar stated that he shares the same spirit as the previous Malaysian Prime Minister, to avoid tension in the disputed area and emphasized that Indonesia is a friendly country with excellent relations with Malaysia.