KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 — The Sultan of Brunei, who arrives in Manila today for a state visit, has turned down a reported request from Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III to meet over the Sabah crisis.
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei cited lack of time to meet Kiram(picture), The Philippine Starquoted deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte as saying yesterday.
The Brunei Sultan’s forebears owned Borneo and gave North Borneo — now Sabah — to the Sultan of Sulu as a gift for helping quell a rebellion centuries ago.
“The schedule is quite tight. I don’t see any opportunity for that — or, at least, for the visit of the Sultan here,” Valte said over state-run radio dzRB when she was asked if the Malacanang Palace would allow the Brunei Ruler to meet Kiram over the Sabah standoff.
The sultanate of Sulu has expressed hope that Bolkiah’s visit will help in the peaceful resolution of the Sabah standoff. The sultanate sent a letter to the embassy of Brunei, requesting for a meeting with Bolkiah.
Malacañang and the Department of Foreign Affairs said yesterday the Brunei Sultan will meet President Benigno Aquino to enhance the good diplomatic and bilateral relations between Brunei and the Philippines.
Bolkiah’s visit to the Philippines is set just weeks before Brunei’s hosting of the ASEAN summit in its capital Bandar Seri Begawan.
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