Indonesia–Malaysia maritime boundaries delimitation: a retrospective

Abstract

ABSTRACT‘Good fences make good neighbours.’ But how long should one try build fences with your neighbour? Boundary delimitation has always been a key issue in international law and international relations, sometimes taking many years to conclude. States tend to be very cautious in delimiting their boundaries because once agreed, it cannot be changed. The Indonesia–Malaysia maritime boundary is not an exception. These two relatively young nations have negotiated its maritime boundaries since the 1960s. More than 50 years later, maritime boundary segments still remain to be settled. But where does it stand now? This article will highlight a number of important issues of the Indonesian–Malaysian maritime boundaries delimitation, the latest development, and the way forward on where these two nations will proceed.