Malaysia focuses on economy, basically Malaysia has reason to wage war against Indonesia in Natuna areas. They prefer letting go that and focus on the economy. Pakistan made the opposite decision with the disputed area with India
I think this decision that divide Pakistan and Malaysia fate. Malaysia defense budget is only at 3 billion USD in 2023. Both Malaysia and Pakistan have much bigger neighbour, Indonesia for Malaysia and India for Pakistan. Both made different path as Pakistan keep trying to get the disputed land with bigger India, while Malaysia let it go and focus on the economy with very small defense budget
The focus on military embolden Pakistan military while for Malaysia the focus on the economy embolden their civilian rule
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Malaysian media
The Claim of Sovereignty over Natuna Islands
As stated earlier, Indonesia formally included Natuna Islands as part of its territory in 1956, a year before Malaysia’s independence and six years before the Indonesian Confrontation with Malaysia erupted.
Malaysia at that time was still known as the Federation of Malaya and has not attained full independence to make its claim on the Natuna Islands. Malaya obtained independence in 1957 and became Malaysia in 1963.
The smooth journey towards the formation of Malaysia was then compromised when the then President of Indonesia, Sukarno, declared confrontation against Malaysia in 1962.
The Confrontation severed the Malaysian-Indonesian ties and may have swayed the focus of the leaders of Malaysia at that time towards ending the conflict with Indonesia rather than pressing claims over the Natuna Islands.
On the other hand, Indonesia needed the Natuna Islands to justify to the world that Indonesia is in fact an archipelagic State as prescribed by the international law of the sea.
Indeed, based on historical facts enunciated earlier, Malaysia has the right to claim sovereignty over the Natuna Islands.
Nevertheless, the claim has never been made and until now, Malaysia recognises Natuna Islands as part of Indonesia. However, can Malaysia make prospective claims over the Natuna Islands?
International law dictates that a State may acquire territory by way of prescription. This method of territorial acquisition refers to ‘actual exercise’ of sovereignty by one country on a particular territory without any clear objections from other countries.
Based on this fact, Malaysia’s claim, if any, over the Natuna Islands may be rebutted on the fact that it has remained silent over Indonesia’s administration on those islands that has taken place for almost 60 years.