Beyond the State: Local Dynamics of Border Management in Temajuk and Sebatik

Abstract

Subnational governments play a pivotal role in shaping Indonesia’s border relations with Malaysia, particularly in the border regions of West Kalimantan. This article examines the influence and involvement of subnational actors in managing cross-border issues by focusing on the distinct contexts of Temajuk and Sebatik. Employing a qualitative comparative case study approach, the research integrates in-depth interviews with local stakeholders, field observations, and policy document analysis. The study reveals that while subnational actors are crucial in managing border relations, their effectiveness varies across cases. In Temajuk, local actors facilitated economic cooperation.
Still, they contributed to tensions due to limited access to national policy information and weak coordination with central authorities during the 2011 Camar Bulan and Tanjung Datu disputes. In contrast, subnational actors in Sebatik played a stabilizing role through active engagement in nationallevel
negotiations, helping resolve a 127-hectare land dispute via coordinated multilevel diplomacy. These divergent contributions stem from differences in institutional capacity, access to strategic information, and local dependence on cross-border economic ties. The study underscores the need for a more nuanced understanding of subnational actors’ roles in border governance, particularly in
sensitive and contested regions.