Tempest brews over Sabah
Recent drumbeatings by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Teodoro Locsin and the Daily Tribune about the need for a closure on the country’s claim on Sabah had produced results including the call of a top Malaysian minister to bring the conflicting positions between Manila and Kuala Lumpur before the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Sabah Chief Minister Shafie Apdal, who has an influential voice in his
country, called on the Malaysian government to take the intensifying dispute to the ASEAN.
Shafie was endorsed by former leader Mahathir Mohamad as an alternative to his predecessor Muhyiddin Yassin.
While criticizing the rhetorics that Locsin had launched, Shafie refused to sidestep the issue by telling the Nikkei Asian review that “the Malaysian government must make it a serious agenda under the ASEAN platform. This must be once and for all, resolved.”
Shafie’s stand created a political storm in Malaysia as Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak branded Shafie’s thrust for government-to-government talks with the country on an ASEAN platform as a “big mistake” since it will give “legitimacy to Philippine’s claim over the state.”
Hishammuddin is unscrupulous in making false claims and should just resign his position for electioneering foreign policy matters.
Hishammuddin who is also Najib’s cousin, posted a social media statement saying Shafie should be more assertive than yielding “to foreign claims that undermine Sabah’s sovereignty.”
Former deputy defense minister Liew Chin Tong joined the fray as he denounced Hishammuddin’s alleged political opportunism. Liew said Hishammuddin should resign for shifting the blame on the territorial dispute to Shafie.
Liew, who is now Johor head of the dominant Democratic Action Party, said Hishammuddin has been trying to downplay the seriousness of the issue. He accused Hishammuddin of trying to “act tough” by claiming Shafie’s request for the opening of talks with the Philippines acknowledges the legitimacy of the Philippines’ Sabah claim.
“Hishammuddin is unscrupulous in making false claims and should just resign his position for electioneering foreign policy matters,” Liew said in a statement.
“We need mature politicians who do not lie and doublespeak. And Malaysia can do without a foreign minister who uses foreign affairs, which should be a bipartisan affair as much as possible, for instant electoral gains. Such an act by Hishammudin is highly irresponsible,” the official added.
Pols as is their wont
“I am appalled that Hishammuddin has taken Najib’s cue to attack Shafie, claiming that Shafie was soft on the Philippines,” he said.
Liew branded Hishammuddin’s attempt to exploit the issue to portray himself as “tough” while Shafie as “soft” on the Philippines “is utterly disgusting political opportunism.”
The House Committee on Foreign Affairs approved recently a bill that will require the printing of the country’s map, including a 200-mile exclusive economic zone and Sabah, on Philippine passports. Locsin said during a panel hearing that the country will revive the Department of Foreign Affairs’ North Borneo Affairs which is dedicated to efforts in reclaiming Sabah, which he described as “the tropical island of Borneo.”
Locsin indicated that settling the issue is urgent for the sake of stateless individuals living in the territory. He was referring to Filipinos whom the Malaysian government do not recognize. They refuse to acquire Philippine passports, however, fearing deportation by the Malaysian government.
In the DFA budget before the House Appropriations Committee, Locsin lambasted Malaysia by reminding its government that the stateless individuals “are human beings.” He indicated his plan to revive the Marcos-era Office of North Borneo Affairs.
“The source of conflict here is Malaysia, I should look into it but I can tell you we should proceed very carefully, I do not recognize they are stateless, they must be Filipinos because Sabah is ours, and that’s all there is to it,” he indicated. “The question of ASEAN amity won’t get in the way of my assertion of what is ours,” Locsin noted.
President Rodrigo Duterte during a recent national address, requested the Malaysian government to assist Filipinos stranded in Sabah despite the territorial dispute.
Sultanate sides with Locsin
The Sultanate of Sulu gave its full backing to Locsin as it noted the late Sultan Moh. Esmail Enang Kiram “was the former Head of this Office.”
“As the heir of his father and grandfather as head of the Royal House of Sulu, His Royal Majesty Ampun Sultan Hadji Muedzul-Lail Tan Kiram urges the government to reopen this important Office,” the Sultanate said in a statement.
The Royal House of Sulu reiterated the statements of Amroussi Rasul, Wazir of the traditional government of the Sultanate of Sulu that “there is only one Sultan of Sulu. He is Sultan Muedzul-Lail Tan Kiram, direct descendant of Sultan Mahakuttah and Sultan Esmail — father and grandfather of Sultan Muedzul-Lail.”
“I have decided to reactivate the North Borneo Bureau after realizing that the rest of the world has forgotten our Sabah claim, casually designating it as another country’s territory when we have not forgotten it,” Locsin said.
Sabah, which lies on the northeastern tip of Borneo, is about 500 kilometers from the Philippines. The Sulu Sultanate considers it as a gift from the Sultan of Brunei whom it helped quell a rebellion in the 15th century.
Strong position
Shafie, who hails from a well-established political family in Sabah, insisted Malaysia has a strong case and can withstand the aggressive Philippine claim.
He cited Sabah’s decision to join the Federation of Malaysia, which was achieved through a referendum arranged by the British-initiated Cobbold Commission.
The commission, led by former Bank of England Gov. Lord Cobbold, was set up in 1962 to gather feedback from the people of Sabah and Sarawak before the formation of Malaysia the following year. It consisted of Malaya, Brunei, Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak.
Brunei and Singapore later separated from Malaysia to form their own sovereign nations.
“That (referendum) is constitutional evidence that Sabah is part of Malaysia and it would remain that way,” Shafie said. “No one should question the referendum,” he noted.
Shafie also highlighted the timing of the renewed pressure from the Philippines as elections are scheduled in Sabah on 26 September.
“It seems to me that this issue only crops up during the election period,” Shafie said. “I don’t want to accuse anyone but somebody is using it as a tool to scare some of our voters here,” he added.