Jakarta – Indonesia's parliament is to summon President Megawati Sukarnoputri to explain the loss of two islands to Malaysia, reports said yesterday.

Parliament wants Ms Megawati to elaborate on the loss of Sipadan and Ligitan islands following a World Court decision last December, the Jakarta Post and the state Antara news agency reported.

"The President, as chief executive, still needs to make a clarification to the House and it is not enough that it is the relevant ministers who do the explaining," lawmaker Mashadi was quoted by Antara as saying. No date has been set for her appearance.

The Jakarta Post said the date for the House plenary session to hear the President's explanation will be decided later by a House steering committee. Legislators supporting the motion hope the President will appear before the House in the first week of July.

The decision to summon the President came after a vote during a plenary session on Tuesday, with 117 legislators in favour and 102 against. One legislator abstained from voting.

The paper said the result was somewhat surprising, as some large factions had previously played down the proposal, which was signed by a group of legislators from the National Awakening Party (PKB), Reform and Golkar factions.

The summons will also test Ms Megawati's political ability to appease her critics ahead of next year's elections, when she will seek another five-year term.

After a decades-long legal dispute, the International Court of Justice ruled that Sipadan and Ligitan off eastern Borneo belong to Malaysia.