Sabah must find own solutions to competing claims

 

Sabah, the second largest state in Malaysia with a land mass of 73,900 km² (28,530 sq miles) is torn from all sides with people claiming or aiming to control what is remaining of its wealth and territory.

According to news reports, an arbitrator in France has made an award of US$14.92 billion (RM62.6 billion) to descendants of the last Sultan of Sulu for their claims over unpaid cession money and over the oil and gas found in Sabah.

Prominent politicians in Sabah have also claimed oil and gas rights from Petronas, the entity vested by the federal government on all oil and gas found in the state.

The argument on who has the right to the Continental Shelf and how many nautical miles the territory extends is not fully settled. Sabah is only given a pittance of 5% oil royalty; although rich in oil and gas and Malaysia’s biggest producer, it is the state with the highest poverty in Malaysia.

Sabah, an equal partner of Malaysia is claimed by a foreign country, the Philippines, a dispute revived by a controversial tweet by the Philippines Foreign Secretary, Teodoro Locsin Jr. in 2020.

In February 2013, the self-styled Royal Army of the Sultanate of Sulu led an amphibious assault on Sabah without success. Scores of our Malaysian armed forces were killed in the attack.

Sabahans have not forgotten the incident and are wary that sleeping cells of the Sulu army may be ready to destabilise Sabah again. In December 2021, a leading Hong Kong newspaper, citing a security source, reported a secret plot to invade Sabah by the Sulu militia hatched in southern Philippines. The matter was downplayed by Malaysian authorities.

This is not the only invasion since the formation of Malaysia.

In 1985 armed foreign groups landed on the coast of Lahad Datu, Malaysia, and stormed the town. In April 2000, armed groups landed on Sipadan island resort and abducted 21 foreigners and locals.

Security has since been improved and there were no major incidents since then. The peaceful lull cannot be taken for granted as the Philippines and the Sulu Sultan’s family will continue to claim Sabah as their own.

These claims are further complicated by the never-ending illegal immigrant issue. Various political parties have played up the issue to maintain their political base instead of finding a practical solution.

The Warisan government lost the Kimanis by-election in January 2020 after offering practical solutions. The matter was played up by the opposition parties as tantamount to giving citizenship to the illegals.

Ironically, the current government is mooting the same and the issue is being politicised once again. It rings hollow when we talk about human rights under the United Nations Charter when we are denying human decency to a large population who has been here for decades, some born and bred here with no affiliations to their country of origin.

Another claim running into the billions is from people peddling the carbon deal (Nature Conservation Agreement) without any alleged care or sympathy to the indigenous people of Sabah. Astounding profit sharing has already been leaked out to international media raising questions on local and foreign players digging their hands in the precious carbon pie.

If the deal is abrogated due to non-compliance or failure to substantiate claims to expertise, according to inside sources Sabah is obliged to pay substantial damages due to its incompetence. Sabah’s stand has already been highlighted by the state’s attorney-general who has stated that the agreement is “impotent” as it stands.

Sabahans rejoiced in their independence on Aug 31, 1963 before partnering Malaya to form Malaysia on Sept 16. Sabah was truly free of its colonial shackles but one historian commented, “it’s more like, out of the frying pan into the fire”.

The proclamation of Malaysia read by Tunku Abdul Rahman, “forever be an independent and sovereign democratic state founded upon liberty and justice, ever seeking to defend and uphold peace and harmony among its peoples and perpetuate peace among nations” is already lost in translation.

Sabah leaders can no longer claim ignorance of the various competing claims involving billions and the past leakages through timber and other resources. They can’t leave the PTI issue to the federal government. After 59 years in Malaysia, Sabah needs to find its own solutions and defend its rights as a free nation. - FMT

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.