JAKARTA - Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) Tito Karnavian stated that the government is open to accepting lawsuits related to the stipulation of regional boundaries between the provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra (North Sumatra), which are back in the spotlight after the central government named the names of four islands in disputed areas.
Tito said the Minister of Home Affairs Decree No. 300.2.2-2138/2025 concerning Code Provision and Update, Government and Island Administration Regional Data has gone through a geographical location study and cross-agency decisions.
"We understand that there are parties who are not satisfied. But we are open to evaluation or lawsuits, including to the Administrative Court. Go ahead," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, June 10.
He said the central government did not have personal interests, but only wanted to resolve regional boundary problems objectively and legally.
The four islands in question are Panjang, Lipan, Mangkir Gadang and Mangkir Ketek islands which are no longer part of Aceh Province. The island is now entering the Central Tapanuli area, North Sumatra.
Tito explained that this issue had a long history and involved many parties and agencies since the beginning of the conflict in 1928.
"From 1928 this problem has existed. The process is very long, even long before I took office. There have been many times facilitated meetings by various ministries and institutions," he said.
Tito emphasized that regional boundaries did not only occur between Aceh and North Sumatra. Currently, there are hundreds of similar cases throughout Indonesia.
"Of the approximately 70 thousand villages in Indonesia, only about a thousand villages whose territorial borders have actually been legally completed," said Tito.
He explained that the settlement of regional boundaries is very important because it involves legal certainty, calculating General Allocation Funds (DAU), spatial planning, and development planning.
If the limit is not clear, said Tito, development in disputed areas could be the finding of the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK).
"If one area builds, even though the land status is included in the dispute, it could be a legal issue. There must be clarity on regional boundaries so as not to cause administrative problems in the future," he said.
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Regarding the four disputed islands, Tito explained that the land limits between Aceh Singkil Regency and Central Tapanuli Regency had been investigated by the Geospatial Information Agency (BIG), the Navy, and the Army Topography, so the central government decided that the four islands were in the North Sumatra region.
The decision was later outlined in the Minister of Home Affairs in 2022 and reaffirmed in April 2025.
"This decision has been signed by both parties," he said.
However, the sea limits still have not met a common ground. Because there is no agreement, the decision-making authority is left to the central government," said Tito.
According to him, the affirmation of regional names has been carried out, but the overall regional boundary settlement process is still ongoing.
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