Leila de Lima, secretary in the Philippines’ Department of Justice (DOJ) was reported saying in Manila yesterday that the government had not ruled out taking the territorial dispute to the International Court of Justice in the Hague, but was studying carefully the case as it did not want to strain its friendship with Malaysia.
“That is among the options we are looking into. Of course there are international fora available so we’re considering that,” she was quoted as saying by the Philippine Star news portal.
She reportedly said “careful study” was needed and that the Philippine government’s considerations were not only limited to the legal issues of the claim.
“We have to consider standing policies of the administration, including foreign policies,” De Lima said, referring to her home country’s diplomatic ties with Malaysia.
Both countries are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) political and economic regional partnership.
De Lima told reporters in Manila that the DOJ would need more time to before forming a legal opinion on the Sultanate of Sulu’s purported ownership to Sabah.
“At first I thought I could finish it in a few days, but it’s a very complicated thing and we have to be very careful. There’s a lot of research materials and documents we need to read. I’m already halfway done with the memorandum,” she was reported saying.
Newswire Reuters has reported that Malaysia pays a token sum to the Sultanate of Sulu each year in an arrangement that stretches back to British colonial times.
The sultanate has claimed that the payment amounts to rental of Sabah, but Malaysia has argued that it is instead payment for the sultanate’s ceding of its rights over the land.
BY IDA LIM
I'm struck dumb right now. Btw, whatever happens to genneva gold investors?
ReplyDeleteSaving can easily become a habit.
I am dumb struck right now. Btw, whatever happens to genneva gold investors?
Saving can easily become a habit. Pay yourself before expenses.
Whom do u think Sabah belongs to? Malaysia or Philippines? You can ask a Malaysian and the answer would be theirs. A Filipino will claim otherwise. You ask the British and they will unequivocally say it's Malaysia's. You might ask an American and the answer will be- "we normally do not meddle in other countries' affairs and territorial claims however we respect and encourage a peaceful dialogue etc etc....".
ReplyDeleteIn the modern world no amount of war can settle disputes involving nation's boundaries without guarantees from 'superpower nations; a good example is North and South Korea. Will Malaysia and the Philippines go to war because of Sabah? It is very unlikely because the leaders of both nations are smarter and they know history.
ReplyDeleteINSANE.....The so-called Sulu Sultan says that his people, numbering 400, will not leave Sabah since it 'belongs to them'. "Why should we leave our own country?" he asked. Using the 'sultan's' logic, all Sabahans should leave Sabah since 'it belongs to him'.
ReplyDeleteThis sovereignty was never transferred to Brunei, Sulu, Britain, the Philippines or even Malaysia. The "Sultan" and his followers should be committed, by the High Court of Borneo, to a mental institution.
ReplyDeleteThe RM 5,300 per annum which the descendants of the nine heirs of the defunct Sulu Sultanate receives by a 1939 order of the High Court of Borneo is for transfer of the right to collect toll along the waterways in eastern and northern Sabah to the British North Borneo Chartered Company which had a Royal Charter from the Queen of England to run Sabah.
ReplyDeleteThe Lahad Datu standoff is a good time to re-visit the issue of Sovereignty of Sabah which rests with the people and have never been transferred to Brunei, Sulu, Britain, the Philippines or Malaysia. No referendum was held in Sabah on Malaysia. The Brunei and Sulu toll extortioners never ventured beyond the coasts as they were afraid of the headhunters in the interior.
ReplyDeleteBy the Madrid Protocol signed between the UK, Germany and Spain, Spain which was ruling the Philippines gave up all territorial claims in Borneo. The Madrid Protocol also accepted that the Sulu Sultanate went defunct when the last Sultan died without leaving a male heir.
ReplyDeletekekerasan takkan selesaikan masalah.
ReplyDeleteSulu harus sedar mereka tak berhak lagi ke atas Sabah
ReplyDelete