Malaysia firm on Sabah sovereignty amid Philippines’s claims, says Anwar
Published on: Tuesday, July 30, 2024
By: Bernama
Malaysian soldiers battle Sulu militants from the southern Philippines during an incursion in 2013 to stake their territorial claim over parts of the state. (File photo: Reuters via Malaysian Armed Forces)
PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today stressed that the unity government will not compromise on defending the country’s sovereignty and will never tolerate any demands, including over Sabah.
“(About) the Philippines’ claim over Sabah, the Malaysian government has made a firm statement that we will not compromise even an inch of our land and that we will never get involved in any negotiations involving the rights and sovereignty of our country,” he said.
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Nevertheless, Anwar said the diplomatic relationship between Malaysia and the Philippines is still good, and he himself still maintains a very good and close relationship with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“Therefore, this channel (relationship) should be used to maintain security.
“Our security forces should understand that history has proven that (intrusion and) attacks like the one that occurred in Sabah a few years ago happened in unexpected circumstances,” he said when launching the National Security Month celebration here today
Prior to this, a video went viral on social media containing baseless, misleading content and disputing the sovereignty of the state of Sabah.
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Yesterday, the Foreign Ministry in a statement reiterated the government’s long-standing position that Sabah has always been an integral part of Malaysia.
According to the statement, Sabah has been recognized by the United Nations (UN) and the international community as part of Malaysia since the formation of the Federation of Malaysia on September 16, 1963.
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“The ministry is undertaking a thorough investigation in cooperation with the relevant ministries and agencies on the matter,” the statement read.
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