REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Deputy Speaker Oesman Sapta Odang and Malaysian Infrastructure Development and Communication Minister Dato Seri Michael Manyin Anak Jawong discussed infrastructure development in the border areas of Indonesia and Malaysia.

"We discussed about border issues. Minister Dato Seri wanted to know about the construction going on for the past two years," Oesman Sapta Odang stated here on Wednesday.

Oesman pointed out that they discussed the issue of illegal shortcuts in Entikong, West Kalimantan, and in Serawak, Malaysia. According to him, a shortcut at the border was used by illegal immigrants.

"The roads in the border areas should be constructed properly. Illegal shortcuts are a cause of concern for the Malaysian and Indonesian governments," he noted.

Oesman affirmed that infrastructure in the border areas should be developed at the earliest by the government in order to minimize the flow of illegal immigrants.

"According to Dato Seri, infrastructure in the border areas should soon be developed, so that they can no longer use illegal paths," he said.

He emphasized that the government should grant a decisive penalty to illegal immigrants who try to illegally cross the border.

According to plan, the border fence will be built in 2015 and is scheduled for completion in 2016.

"The work on the border fence will be completed in 2016. Construction of highways will be done in Entikong," he noted.

Minister Dato Seri Michael has found two thousand illegal shortcuts in 2014, which have recently declined to 700.

He hoped that the number of illegal shortcuts can be reduced, and the establishments of formal border check posts can serve as international pathways.

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika