Sabah Refers Philippines' Maritime Boundary Dispute To Federal Gov’t For Action

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 15 (Bernama) -- The Sabah government has referred the issue of two new maritime laws from the Philippines, which violate the state's maritime borders, to the Federal Government and Wisma Putra for further action.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the state government had been informed that Malaysia had lodged an official protest with the Philippines regarding the matter.

“We will adhere to our national boundaries, but from reviewing the map, there is a slight encroachment into our territory,” he said.

“We are hopeful that this can be resolved in a positive manner, as the Philippines is a neighbouring country. We will approach this with diplomacy and tact, as part of the ASEAN community,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the state legislative assembly sitting here today.

Yesterday, Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Mohamad Alamin said Malaysia had sent a formal protest to the Philippines about the two new maritime laws.

He said the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr on 8 Nov, were found to extend beyond the 1979 Malaysia New Map, which was established based on international law.

-- BERNAMA