Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan stated that Malaysia will issue a diplomatic note to the Philippines as soon as possible to refute recent remarks made by Senator Robin Padilla claiming sovereignty over Sabah.
He said that whenever any party in the Philippines asserts a sovereignty claim over Sabah, Malaysia has consistently responded by issuing a diplomatic note.
He emphasized that Sabah’s status as a member state of the Malaysian Federation is final, as the people of Sabah have joined Malaysia through a legal process recognized by the United Nations.
“This is not something new; it has existed for decades. Raising this issue is intended to distract from domestic problems so that people focus on other matters. I believe the Filipino people also understand that some politicians sometimes look for issues to divert public attention.”
“There is no such thing as Sabah still being subject to their sovereignty claim, but if they bring it up, that’s their business. We are not opposing it; we completely reject any sovereignty claims. They are baseless, so we are not sending a protest note but rather a note rejecting the claim.”
He said this to reporters on Saturday (28th) after hosting a Hari Raya gathering at his residence in Rembau.
Mohamad Hasan pointed out that such remarks are made by specific individuals and do not represent the official position of the Philippine government, thus they will not affect bilateral relations between the two countries.
“This time it's a senator speaking; the Philippine government cannot do anything about it, just like when our opposition says something irresponsible, there isn’t much we can do either. Our means are limited, so the positions of both the Philippines and Malaysia are clear.”
“After multiple dialogues and negotiations, the good relationship between Malaysia and the Philippines has not been affected, and this year the Philippines even holds the ASEAN rotating chairmanship.”
Earlier reports in the media stated that Padilla had urged Philippine President Marcos Jr. to reassert the sovereignty claim over Sabah, believing it is time for Manila to take a tougher stance, including sending official representatives to the area.