Prabowo Awards Disputed Islands to Aceh, Ending Border Dispute with North Sumatra
Main Takeaways
|
JAKARTA, investortrust.id – President Prabowo Subianto has formally ruled that four disputed islands in western Indonesia fall under the jurisdiction of Aceh Province, resolving a territorial conflict that had strained relations between the governments of Aceh and North Sumatra.
The decision was made during a virtual cabinet meeting on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, as the President traveled en route to St. Petersburg, Russia. He was accompanied by Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya during the session.
The islands in question—Pulau Panjang, Pulau Lipan, Pulau Mangkir Besar (also known as Mangkir Gadang), and Pulau Mangkir Kecil (Mangkir Ketek)—had been the subject of a protracted dispute following a prior decree from the Ministry of Home Affairs that placed them under North Sumatra’s administration. That decree had been rejected by Aceh’s provincial government, triggering public outcry and escalating tensions.
Presidential spokesperson and State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi told reporters in Jakarta that the decision was based on government documents from multiple institutions, including the Ministry of State Secretariat, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and Aceh’s provincial government.
"President Prabowo has decided that the four islands—Pulau Panjang, Pulau Lipan, Pulau Mangkir Gadang, and Pulau Mangkir Ketek—fall within the administrative boundaries of Aceh Province,” Prasetyo said on Tuesday.
The virtual meeting was attended by key officials including Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian, Prasetyo Hadi himself, Aceh Governor Muzakir Manaf, North Sumatra Governor Bobby Nasution, and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Sufmi Dasco Ahmad.
Prasetyo emphasized that the ruling was intended to provide closure and avoid further political friction. “We hope this decision serves as a positive resolution for both Aceh and North Sumatra, and that it ends the ongoing debate among the public,” he said, calling for unity between the neighboring provinces.
Images of the islands had begun circulating on digital mapping platforms, including Google Maps, intensifying public discourse around territorial legitimacy.
The announcement was welcomed in Aceh. Muhammad Nasir Djamil, a member of the House of Representatives from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) representing Aceh II electoral district, expressed gratitude to the President for siding with the people of Aceh.
“On behalf of the people of Aceh, we thank President Prabowo Subianto for his firm stance in defending our territorial integrity,” Nasir told reporters on Tuesday. He added that the decision aligned with local aspirations and was backed by official documents and on-the-ground evidence.
Nasir also praised North Sumatra Governor Bobby Nasution and Central Tapanuli Regent Masinton Pasaribu for their acceptance of the presidential ruling. He said the verdict brought relief to the people of Aceh.
He called on the government to issue a formal presidential decree that would override the Ministry of Home Affairs’ previous determination.
“We hope this decision will be formalized in a presidential decree that explicitly cancels the earlier ministerial ruling assigning the islands to North Sumatra,” he said.
The move is expected to defuse regional tensions and set a precedent for how Jakarta may handle similar territorial disputes between provinces in the future.