Certain matters should not be solely left to the federal government, says former Sabah CM

THE findings of the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on Batu Puteh should serve as a reminder to Sabah leaders and officials not to leave international, territorial, or security matters solely to the federal government, said a former Sabah chief minister.

Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee said the Sabah government has the constitutional duty to ensure the federal government prioritises and safeguards Sabah’s interests in all dealings, particularly in international relations.

He cautioned against compromising Sabah’s territorial rights in exchange for broader national interests.

“Federal officials must be fully conversant with the facts and perspectives unique to Sabah,” said Yong in Kota Kinabalu today.

Yong cited the Sulu claim arbitration as an example, which he said had “one serious flaw” that Sabah now had to endure.

While the RM65 billion arbitration award has been set aside, he said its initial ruling emboldened false hopes among Sulu claimants.

Yong also highlighted another significant loss: Amboyna Cay in the South China Sea, which in the late 1970s, the federal government neglected and led to the loss of this island, located within Sabah’s continental shelf.

Amboyna Cay

“It is now occupied by Vietnam. The book “Doctor in the House” published in 2011 by former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, described how the then Prime Minister had changed his mind about claiming Amboyna Cay as it might provoke a confrontation with other nations,” he said.

Dr Mahathir, then Deputy Prime Minister, also noted that Malaysia nearly lost Layang-Layang Island (Swallow Reef) for similar reasons, he said.

Dr Mahathir later ensured Malaysian sovereignty over Layang-Layang by establishing assets on the island during his premiership.

Today, Layang-Layang is a thriving tourist destination accessible from Kota Kinabalu and Labuan.

“None of the background and facts of how Sabah lost a precious island known as Amboyna Cay would have been known if Dr Mahathir had not penned his memoirs," he said.

Yong also raised concerns about other maritime disputes, such as the 2010 loss of three million acres of maritime territory in Blocks L and M to Brunei and the 2023 bilateral agreement between Malaysia and Indonesia on the Ambalat region near Tawau.

“The Sabah government must protect Sabah’s territorial rights and uphold the Federal Constitution which stipulates that the territory of Malaysia comprises the territory of the states of Malaysia (Article 1). Sabah should have a front-row seat at any international discussions affecting Sabah’s territorial interests,” he said. – December 7, 2024