“Sabah is not a commodity” to solve issues faced by other countries, a politician from the Malaysian state said on Friday.
Azrul Ibrahim of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah Youth said Sabah is part of a sovereign nation and its position within the federation cannot be questioned by any party.
“Attempts to link Sabah to current oil and gas issues as an excuse to revive outdated claims are unwarranted and are meant to divert the internal crisis suffered by certain parties,” he said in a statement on Friday.
This comes after Philippine Senator Robin Padilla urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr to revive Manila’s claim over Sabah amid the petroleum crisis and price increase due to the Middle East conflict.
Padilla had said in a social media post that the Philippine government should send emissaries to Malaysia to negotiate territorial claims over Sabah – a Malaysian state known to be rich in oil and gas.
“We condemn this statement. It is irresponsible and opposes the principle of sovereignty and international laws,” Azrul said.
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