Malaysian politicians slam Philippine senator: ‘Sabah not a commodity’ to ease oil woes

Motorists queue up at a petrol station in Manila, the Philippines, on March 17.

Photo: AFP “Sabah is not a commodity” to solve issues faced by other countries, a politician from the Malaysian state said on Friday.

Azrul Ibrahim of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah Youth said Sabah is part of a sovereign nation and its position within the federation cannot be questioned by any party. “Attempts to link Sabah to current oil and gas issues as an excuse to revive outdated claims are unwarranted and are meant to divert the internal crisis suffered by certain parties,” he said in a statement on Friday.

This comes after Philippine Senator Robin Padilla urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr to revive Manila’s claim over Sabah amid the petroleum crisis and price increase due to the Middle East conflict.

Padilla had said in a social media post that the Philippine government should send emissaries to Malaysia to negotiate territorial claims over Sabah – a Malaysian state known to be rich in oil and gas. “We condemn this statement.

It is irresponsible and opposes the principle of sovereignty and international laws,” Azrul said. “Sabah is not a commodity to solve problems faced by other countries,” he said, urging the home ministry to make a formal objection towards the statement.

He also called on the federal government to pay close attention to the issue to ensure the sovereignty of Malaysia. “Sabahans must remain calm, united and not to be swayed or influenced by any such statements which could cause confusion,” Azrul said, adding that Gagasan Rakyat Youth will continue to stand firm in defending the state.

Likewise, Sabah Keadilan said the statement was made on baseless grounds and a shallow approach in facing the global fuel crisis.

The party said this Sabah claim issue has long been solved through history, law and the people’s wish. “Sabah, through the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), has formed the federation of Malaysia and is recognised internationally,” said the party’s information chief Ahmad Farid Sainuri.

He said Padilla’s attempts to revive the claim was to garner political support, without taking into consideration the diplomatic implications on both Malaysia and the Philippines.

He said international courts had also rejected multiple claims on Sabah and Malaysia over the past few years, including attempts to initiate arbitration proceedings in Spain, seeking billions in compensation from Malaysia over Sabah, and the dismissal in full of the challenge fi

原文链接: 南华早报