Prabowo Takes Over Disputed Aceh–North Sumatra Island Issue, Decision Expected Next Week

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JAKARTA, Investortrust.id – President Prabowo Subianto has decided to personally take over the ongoing dispute between the provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra regarding the status of four small islands. The move follows public controversy triggered by a ministerial decree that reclassified the islands as part of North Sumatra, stripping them from Aceh’s jurisdiction.

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Sufmi Dasco Ahmad said on Saturday that Prabowo would issue a final decision on the matter next week. Dasco revealed the development after holding direct communication with the president.

“As a result of discussions with the President, he has taken over the issue of these disputed islands, which has sparked tensions between Aceh and North Sumatra,” said Dasco, who also serves as the daily chair of the Gerindra Party.

Islands Reclassified by Ministerial Decree

The controversy began with the issuance of Minister of Home Affairs Decree No. 300.2.2-2138/2025 on the administrative code and territorial update, which placed Pulau Panjang, Pulau Lipan, Pulau Mangkir Gadang, and Pulau Mangkir Ketek under the jurisdiction of Central Tapanuli Regency in North Sumatra.

The four islands, historically claimed by Aceh Singkil Regency, had long been associated with the Acehnese region. However, the decree triggered backlash from Aceh officials and civil society, prompting legal threats and accusations of procedural violations.

Legal and Political Repercussions

Former Vice President Jusuf Kalla publicly criticized the decree, arguing it was "formally flawed" due to its conflict with historical laws. Kalla cited Law No. 24 of 1956, which defined the boundaries of the Aceh province, including its outlying islands. That law, he said, also underpins the 2005 Helsinki Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the peace agreement that ended nearly three decades of armed conflict between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

“Yes, it’s true. The decree is formally flawed. Aceh and its regencies were legally established by the 1956 law. That’s why the Helsinki MoU refers to it,” Kalla told reporters from his home in South Jakarta on Friday.

 

Aceh’s Violent Past and Fragile Peace

The sensitivity surrounding the issue is rooted in Aceh’s turbulent history. From the late 1990s to the early 2000s, the province was engulfed in a violent separatist insurgency that left thousands dead and displaced. Martial law was declared in 2003.

The conflict only ended after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami spurred peace negotiations, culminating in the Helsinki MoU. That agreement granted Aceh special autonomy and is seen as a cornerstone of national unity and post-conflict stability.

Reassigning territory without consulting Acehnese stakeholders risks reigniting grievances and undermining the legal foundation of Aceh’s special status.

Conflicting Views Within Government

Minister of Law and Human Rights Supratman Andi Agtas clarified that the dispute falls under the domain of the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri), distancing his office from the controversy.

“That’s the job and function of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The Ministry of Law is not involved,” Supratman said Saturday in Jakarta.

He also confirmed that the government is drafting a new bill on Aceh governance but declined to elaborate on whether the disputed islands would be addressed in the legislation.

Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian previously stated that any party disputing the decree was welcome to challenge it at the State Administrative Court (PTUN), suggesting the ministry stands by its decision.