926 Chapter 6
MID#3621
Dispute Number: 3621
Date(s): September 26, 1985
Participants: 820 Malaysia/840 Philippines
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: Malaysian forces killed or kidnapped over 50 civilians on a Filipino island
in a helicopter and gunboat attack. Some believed the attack was a response to a raid
by Filipino pirates.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from September 30, 1985. End Date changed
from September 30, 1985.
MID#2746
Dispute Number: 2746
Date(s): April 5, 1988 to August 17, 1988
Participants: 820 Malaysia/840 Philippines
Outcome (and Settlement): Released (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: Malaysia seized and imprisoned 48 Philippine fishermen for allegedly
straying into Malaysian waters on April 5, 1988. On August 13, the fishermen were
released and sent back to the Philippines. After the release the Philippines charged
that Malaysian naval forces and warplanes had violated borders many times through
July and August 1988. These occurred over a disputed island chain, Palawan and
Tawi-Tawi.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from May 4, 1988. End Date changed from
August 18, 1988.
820 MALAYSIA/850 INDONESIA
MID#1070
Dispute Number: 1070
Date(s): February 1, 1963 to June 1, 1966
Participants: 850 Indonesia/200 United Kingdom, 820 Malaysia, 900 Australia
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (Negotiated)
Fatalities: 251–500 deaths
Narrative: This dispute began when Indonesia began making threats against the
territories and British protectorates that sought to form the federation of Malaysia
(Malaya, Singapore, Brunei, Sarawak, and North Borneo). Britain supported the tran-
sition of its former colony into the federation because it believed this would help stop
Communist gains in Southeast Asia. As talks of the proposed federation progressed,
Indonesia began promising that conflict would happen if the states tried to form a
federation. In response to these threats and Indonesia’s displays of fighter jets over