Indonesia and Malaysia Reject The Philippine’s Intervention
10 December 2003 11:51 WIB
Nur Hassan made delivered this statement before the International Court on June 26, 2001. In his view, the rejection was made because the Philippine’s appeal for intervention has come much too late. The legal proceedings for the dispute have been in operation at the Court since 1998. “The settlement process has entered the final stage,” Nur Hassan said.
Nur Hassan said that Indonesian government is of the opinion that the Philippines should have no interest in the dispute as it relates to the bilateral relationship between Indonesia and Malaysia. The Indonesian government has also said that such intervention would only slow down the settlement process. “Actually, the Philippine government is concerned that the Court’s decision will unduly influence their claim over the Sabah region,” Nur Hassan offered as an explanation why the Philippine government wanted to intervene. Malaysia has also objected to the efforts of the Philippine government.
In a trial held last March, the Philippine government made clear its intention to take part in this dispute. In response, the Indonesian and Malaysian governments delivered their memorial, counter and reply. Indonesia’s memorial note said that the two islands in dispute were parts of the Netherlands East Indies regions which had been officially transferred by the United Kingdom in 1891. Meanwhile, Malaysia has staked Sipadan and Ligitan Islands an inheritance from the reign of Sultan Sulu, who ruled Malaysia in 1878.
The Sipadan-Ligitan case was filed in the International Court as Indonesia and Malaysia have not come to any agreement. Since 1998, the Indonesian government has formed a special task force to settle the case at the International Court. Under the coordination of Frere Cholmeley, an International Lawyer Office based in Paris, France, legal teams from the USA, France and the Netherlands have been assigned to help the task force.
