Teuku Faizasyah, a spokesperson from the Indonesian foreign ministry, has hit back at former Malaysia prime minister Mahathir’s claim that Malaysia should claim both Singapore and the Riau Islands in Indonesia.
According to Tempo, Faizasyah said that “Indonesia does not see any legal basis and reason for Tun Mahathir’s statement.”
He added that “In a time when the world is facing many challenges, a senior politician should not be making baseless statements that can harm friendships.”
Faizasyah also reiterated his stance that the Riau Island Archipelago will always be Indonesian territory.
Claim Singapore & Riau Islands
Mahathir previously said on 19 June during a public appearance that “We should demand not just that Pedra Branca, or Pulau Batu Puteh, be given back to us, we should demand Singapore as well as the Riau Islands, as they are Malay land.”