Three Nunukan Villages Move to Malaysian Territory

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Secretary of the National Agency for Border Management (BNPP), Makhruzi Rahman, reported that three villages in Nunukan Regency, North Kalimantan, have now been designated as part of the Malaysian administrative region. The three villages located in the Lumbis Hulu District are Kabulangalor Village, Lepaga Village, and Tetagas Village.

According to Makhruzi, the boundary line between Indonesia and Malaysia has shifted, resulting in this occurrence. "In the Lumbis Hulu District, Nunukan Regency, there are three villages; part of their territory now falls within the Indonesian territory," he said during a working meeting with the House of Representatives Commission II in Jakarta on Wednesday, January 21, 2026.

Makhruzi explained that the shift of the boundary line between the two countries was determined based on the Indonesia-Malaysia agreement regarding the settlement of the outstanding boundary problem (OBP) concerning Sebatik Island. The southern part of this island falls within Nunukan, North Kalimantan, while the northern part of Sebatik Island falls within the State of Sabah, Malaysia.

He stated that Indonesia and Malaysia had signed a memorandum of understanding on February 18, 2025, regarding Sebatik Island. The agreement resulted in a decision that approximately 127 hectares of Sebatik Island's territory belonged to Indonesia, while Malaysia obtained 4.9 hectares of territory.

Despite losing three villages in Nunukan, Makhruzi stated that Indonesia was awarded a total of 5,207 hectares of territory from Malaysia as compensation. Thousands of hectares of this territory were proposed to support the development of cross-border posts and free trade zones.

Furthermore, Makhruzi mentioned that the government would provide compensation funds for the residents whose land had shifted to Malaysia. However, he did not disclose the amount of the replacement funds. "We have determined the amount of funds that we must provide to the community whose land has shifted to Malaysia," he said.

In the same meeting, the Vice Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency, Ossy Dermawan, also affirmed that the alteration of the national boundary line had resulted in the three villages in Nunukan shifting to the Malaysian administrative region. The agreement in the 45th Joint Indonesia-Malaysia Boundary Committee session formalized the division of Sebatik Island's territory.

Although the agreement provided 4.9 hectares of Indonesian territory to Malaysia, Ossy Dermawan mentioned that the total area lost was 6.1 hectares, as the Indonesian government had to establish a buffer zone covering 2.4 hectares. The total area impacted by this decision is 3.6 hectares, encompassing five villages on Sebatik Island.

She calculated that there were dozens of Indonesian citizens affected by the shifting of the national boundary markers. "There are 19 certificate holders, one person with different documents, and 26 with village documents, and five individuals holding informal land titles whose land has shifted into Malaysian territory," Ossy said.

She stated that currently, the regional government, together with the defense office and BNPP, is working to conduct data collection for the relocation of affected residents. Ossy assured that the government would uphold the community's land rights.

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