The resolution of the land border dispute between Indonesia and Malaysia on Sebatik Island has finally reached a breakthrough. Under the newest agreement, the 127.3-hectare area, previously under Malaysian administration, now officially becomes a part of Indonesia’s sovereign territory.
The agreement was described as the results of peaceful diplomacy, following a protracted process based on historical treaties and comprehensive verification on the bottom.
A brand new border agreement has been reached
Presidential Chief of Staff Muhammad Qodari said resolving the land border on Sebatik Island is “a tangible manifestation of effective peace diplomacy that strengthens Indonesia’s territorial sovereignty.”
He confirmed that the 127.3-hectare area, which was previously a part of Malaysia, is now formally a part of Indonesia. On the opposite hand, about 4.9 hectares of Indonesian territory was incorporated into Malaysia.
This adjustment is an element of the agreement reached throughout the Joint Indonesia-Malaysia Boundary Committee (JIMBC), formalized through the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Outstanding Border Problems (OBP) for Sebatik Island on 18 February 2025.
Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Spatial Planning and National Land Agency (ATR/BPN) Ossy Dermawan noted that roughly 23 km of land border sections were affected. He emphasized that the changes included each gains and losses of territory on each side.
“The outcome of the Memorandum of Understanding on OBP for Sebatik Island during the 45th session of the Indonesia-Malaysia Joint Boundary Committee confirms that approximately 23 km of border sections have been adjusted, with some areas reduced and others increased on both sides,” Ossy stated during a gathering with Committee II of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) in Jakarta on Wednesday, January 21, 2026.
Support activities for border villages
The shifting of the border line affects not only administrative maps, but in addition the lifetime of communities within the affected areas. BNPP Secretary Makhruzi Rahman stated that parts of the three villages of Kabulangalor, Lepaga and Tetagas are currently inside Malaysian territory.
The government, through the Ministry of Internal Affairs, has established a special team whose task is to calculate compensation for affected residents, including issues related to land and real estate ownership.
At the identical time, the federal government is strengthening the management of the border area, allocating 86 billion rupees in 2026. This budget will support the operation of 15 cross-border outlets, often called Pos Lintas Batas Negara or PLBN, managed by BNPP.
From December 2016 to October 2024, Indonesia constructed and inaugurated 15 of 18 planned PLBN networks. These facilities, including PLBN Sebatik, now serve not only as border crossings, but in addition as emerging centers of economic growth. More than 2.4 million people passed through these points, and the trade value reached 13.5 trillion rupiah.
An extended-standing dispute rooted within the colonial era
The border dispute on Sebatik Island has deep historical roots dating back to the colonial period. The initial boundary between the territories controlled by the Netherlands and the United Kingdom was established by the London Convention of 1891, which adopted the watershed principle as a natural boundary and was ratified on 11 May 1892.
However, the geographical conditions on the bottom weren’t fully consistent with this principle, prompting further clarification within the 1915 and 1928 conventions. These agreements defined the border in straight lines or along the course of rivers, with the installation of boundary markers as physical references.
The problem continued even after each countries gained independence. A re-examination within the Nineteen Seventies revealed discrepancies with earlier conventions.
Differences in surveying technology, the lack of several boundary pillars, including the westernmost marker, and differing interpretations of historical documents further complicated the situation.
In particular, the Sebatik dispute can be related to the Sipadan and Ligitan case, which arose in 1967 and was resolved in 2002 by a ruling of the International Court of Justice in favor of Malaysia. The ambiguity of the encompassing border lines, including at Sebatik, then became an ongoing problem.
Sebatik Island itself is a singular territory divided between two countries. The southern part is run by Indonesia within the Nunukan Regency in North Kalimantan, while the northern part lies in Sabah, Malaysia. The boundary line crossing the island is a transparent symbol of the complexity of territorial delimitation.
Over time, Indonesia and Malaysia have identified several points of contention, often called outstanding border issues (OBPs). With the agreement on the brand new Sebatik border, considered one of the long-standing disputes with its roots within the colonial era has finally been resolved. Indonesia has now officially gained a further 127.3 hectares in reaffirmation of its territorial sovereignty.
