Malaysia sends diplomatic note to UN after Manila claims Sabah again

 

Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan confirmed that Malaysia has sent a diplomatic note to the United Nations to reiterate the country’s sovereignty following the Philippines’ claim towards Sabah yet again.

He said the diplomatic note explained that the country’s sovereignty encompassed Sabah and Sarawak as enshrined in the Federal Constitution.

“There have been no developments… because the Philippines sent a note, we also sent a note. This is diplomatic relations. We also sent a note to the UN as the note by the Philippines stated that they took into consideration that the maritime border runs through Sabah.

“This means they claim that Sabah is theirs… so we sent a protest note to the UN as the founding of Sabah; Sabah and Sarawak’s independence; and the formation of Malaysia were done systematically and in an organised fashion, with all leaders agreeing and it was recognised by the UN,” Mohamad said.

He told reporters this after officiating the Rembau Umno Division delegates’ meeting in Seremban today in his capacity as Umno deputy president.

He said Malaysia is a sovereign country made up of Tanah Melayu, Sabah and Sarawak, which came together to form the Federation of Malaysia, and hoped the dispute over Sabah would not affect diplomatic relations between the countries.

International media reported that Malaysia handed a diplomatic note to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressing its protest and rejecting the Philippines’ claim towards Sabah.

“Let this issue be decided at the international level, it might lead to the International Court of Justice. Malaysia is a sovereign country, no one can simply state that a region of ours belongs to them,” he added.

- Bernama