Lilian Budianto, The Jakarta Post 25 May 10;
The House of Representatives will next week pass into law the bill on the Indonesia-Singapore western border agreement, after all parties in the House agree on the settlement reached between Jakarta and Singapore last year.
“After the deliberation body approved it this week, we will hopefully bring it to the plenary session next Tuesday,” said Kemal Azis Stamboel, chairman of Commission I, overseeing defense and foreign affairs, Tuesday.
Indonesia and Singapore signed the maritime boundary agreement March last year after four years of negotiations, in a deal that saw Singapore renounce its reclaimed shoreline as the basis for determining the border.
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Under the deal, Indonesia will draw its shoreline from Nipah Island, part of the Riau Islands province off Sumatra, and Singapore from the original coastline of its Sultan Shoal Island.
The reclamation area in Jurong Island, Tuas View and Changi has alarmed Indonesian government as it threatens the size of Indonesia’s maritime territory should it be used as the basis to draw the border between the two countries.
