Inp.polri.go.id - Sydney.  Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra called on the Acehnese people not to misinterpret his remarks regarding the role of the Helsinki MoU and Law No. 24/1956 in the recent territorial dispute involving four islands between Aceh and North Sumatra.

“No one in this country denies the importance of the Helsinki MoU as a turning point in resolving the conflict between GAM and the Indonesian government,” he said during a meeting with Indonesian community leaders in Sydney on Thursday (19/6/2026).

Minister Yusril clarified that while the MoU defines Aceh's territory based on Law No. 24/1956, the law only lists districts—not islands. He emphasized that legal references for provincial boundaries must now follow the more current Law No. 23/2014 on Regional Government, as reported by antaranews.com

He added that President Prabowo Subianto’s recent decision to designate the four islands as part of Aceh was based on a 1992 agreement between former governors under President Soeharto’s directive.

(mg/inp/pr/rs)