Senatorial candidate Jaycel Kiram wants to pursue claims to Sabah

A senatorial candidate of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) led by the Binay-Honasan tandem stressed Muslims in the Philippines are Filipinos and for the longest time already they have no representation in the Senate.

Princess Jaycel Kiram said this has prompted her to aspire for a seat in the Senate and if elected, she would want to pursue claims to Sabah which she said has been the cause of conflicts in Mindanao through Malaysia.

She believes all insurgent groups in Mindanao are being funded by Malaysia with the end in view of prolonging the conflict and for the country to lose focus in its claim to Sabah.

According to Kiram, until today, Malaysia is paying rent to the Sultanate of Sulu, which is enough proof that they, who are Filipinos, own the territory.

Kiram said no less than 72 billion dollars is the projected income of Sabah from oil, gas and other natural resources, and the sad part is that the Philippines does not benefit from it.

With such a huge amount of income, the government of Malaysia is subsidizing the basic needs of its people, from food, electric consumption, gasoline, and other related expenses.

If such claim is decided in favor of the country, no Filipino will live in hunger, she said, as this can subsidize the more than 100 Filipinos with one sack of rice monthly.

Kiram pointed out this is not a personal fight of the Sultanate of Sulu but for every Filipino to claim jurisdiction and ownership of Sabah.

She said she is saddened by the fact that the Philippines’ claim to Sabah has not been pursued.