Saifuddin fires back at Philippine ex-diplomat: Sabah claim is 'dead in the water'

 

Former foreign minister Saifuddin Abdullah has sharply rebuked retired Philippine diplomat Erlinda Fadera-Basilio, declaring Manila’s historical claims over Sabah as “baseless, flawed, and completely dead in the water”.

The Indera Mahkota MP was responding to a recent commentary penned by Basilio, the former Philippine Ambassador to China and a veteran diplomat. 

In her piece titled “Sabah belongs to the Philippines”, Basilio had criticised Saifuddin’s earlier remarks regarding Manila’s South China Sea strategy.

She argued that the former Malaysian minister was undermining international law by advising the Philippines to “make less noise” over its landmark 2016 Arbitral Award against Beijing.

Basilio also downplayed Manila’s contentious June 2024 submission to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf - which extended its maritime baselines using Sabah - as a standard rules-based procedure, while chiding Malaysia for publicly objecting to it.

‘Sabah inseparable from Malaysia’

In a statement today, Saifuddin did not mince his words regarding the underlying territorial friction.

“While she is entitled to her opinion, as I am to mine, the issue of the Sabah claim has always left me with profound unease,” Saifuddin stated. 

“Malaysia’s position has always been clear and unequivocal: Malaysia does not recognise any foreign claim over Sabah.”

Erlinda Fadera-Basilio

Saifuddin reminded Manila that Sabah’s sovereignty was settled over six decades ago through internationally recognised democratic processes.

“Sabah has been recognised by the United Nations and the international community as part of Malaysia since the formation of the Federation of Malaysia on Sept 16, 1963. 

“More importantly, the people of Sabah exercised their right to self-determination through the Cobbold Commission process,” he added, emphasising that the state remains “an inseparable part of Malaysia”.

The public spat stems from Malaysiakini’s earlier exclusive interview with Saifuddin, where he reflected on regional security and the ongoing South China Sea disputes.

During the interview, Saifuddin also weighed in on the upcoming 10th anniversary of the July 12, 2016, South China Sea arbitration ruling, which was adjudicated under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The ruling, stemming from an arbitration case unilaterally initiated by the Philippines, invalidated China’s expansive “nine-dash line” claims, which cover roughly 90 percent of the South China Sea.

Beijing has formally declared the ruling null and void, claiming it is legally invalid and inherently incapable of resolving the dispute due to its ultra vires nature.

While the Philippines had recently raised the issue on several international and Asean platforms again, Saifuddin agreed that the Philippines’ action has fueled geopolitical friction and escalated regional tension, inviting foreign power intervention.

Saifuddin said Malaysia’s position remains unchanged, particularly on adhering to the UNCLOS, rejecting the nine-dash line, and insisting that disputes involving external powers should be handled collectively through Asean rather than unilaterally.

Basilio took exception to this in her commentary, writing that a regional stability built upon the “suppression of legal truth” was merely a fragile truce, and accused Malaysia of breaking Asean decorum by publicly criticising a neighbour’s maritime strategy.

Triggering old wounds

However, Saifuddin turned Basilio’s own arguments against her, pointing out that it was Manila’s unilateral actions at the UN in June 2024 that destabilised bilateral ties.

“Whether the Philippine claim is dormant or not, Basilio herself acknowledges that old territorial wounds are being reopened through the Philippines’ submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. This itself could be a destabilising factor,” Saifuddin said.

He reiterated that while Malaysia remains fully committed to fostering good neighbourly relations and constructive engagement within Asean, it draws a hard line at territorial integrity. 

“Our commitment to regional cooperation will never come at the expense of our sovereignty,” Saifuddin said, adding that he is free to speak openly and be interviewed by the media on the matter. - Mkini