One wonders how much more of the mess that is the Sultan of Sulu’s claim to the Malaysian state of Sabah the administration of President Benigno Simeon ‘BS’ Aquino III can sweep under its lumpy rug.
The simple fact of the continued payment of USD1,500 a year by the Malaysian government to Sultan Jamalul Kiram III remains de facto evidence of Malaysia’s recognition of the original scope of the realm of the Sulu sultanate. This is a legacy of the open-ended question that persists as to the legality of the transfer of the territory today known as the Malaysian state of Sabah to the Malay Federation in 1963. The question remains open as a result of the manner with which the British North Borneo Company (which had been leasing the territory from the Sulu sultanate) allegedly transferred “ownership” of what was to become Sabah to the Malays in that year.
The now-famous “lost letter” reportedly sent in 2010 by Sulu sultanate Crown Prince Agbimuddin Kiram to President BS Aquino III would have summarised the situation at hand to the His Excellency had he paid attention…
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Specifically, Agbimuddin in the letter asked for guidance from the new President on what course of action the ISRRC should take, especially involving the Sabah claim.
“With highest esteem, may we inform His Excellency that during the consultation process, we asked our supporters what action, under the guiding light of your administration, the ISRRC of the sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo would take or adopt anent the Sabah issue, which became the national contract between the government of the Philippines and the sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo pursuant to the filing of such claim in the United Nations against Great Britain and Malaysia in 1962,†Agbimuddin said.
Anticipating Aquino’s participation in international forums such as the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) leaders’ summit, Agbimuddin stated his clan’s position on the Sabah claim to guide the President in discussions on the issue in meetings with representatives of Malaysia.
So now, the Malacañang of BS Aquino joins a succession of Manila governments that have failed to progress the Philippines’ case since the administration of Diosdado Macapagal renewed the claim on Sabah in 1965. Yet the strength of this claim is straightforward and readily-evident. Indeed, just this week, former Malaysian Chief Minister Tan Sri Harris Salleh reportedly proposed a one-time lump-sum of RM200 million (USD64 million) to settle the issue.
“I appeal to the Federal Government to consider settling once and for all the issue of the claim and the yearly payment to the Sultan of Sulu,” he said in a statement, here, Wednesday.
He said the suggested amount of RM200 million was merely equivalent to the monthly expenses for the armed forces to control Sabah’s coastline.
Towards this end, Harris said he had written to Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Tun Hussein that RM50 million is to be allocated from the RM200 million direct to the Sulu Sultan’s descendants while the balance for the development of a Felda-style settlement scheme in Mindanao.
“This will benefit both the heirs of the sultan as well as the people of Mindanao,” he said, adding that the Malaysian Government should deal directly with the Sultan of Sulu rather than talking to leaders of the intruders at Lahad Datu.
He said any confrontation of arms would definitely cause casualties on both sides. “It can be expected that Malaysian security forces will come out with flying colours. But the scars will remain forever, just like other countries such as Northern Ireland, Spain and many others.
In short, the Philippine Government is in a strong position to negotiate with the Malaysians on behalf of the heirs to the Sulu sultanate on the basis of the following key points:
(1) Historical record: The lease payments to the Sultan of Sulu have persisteted virtually uninterrupted since the middle of the 18th Century under the administration of the British East India Company (the predecessor of the British North Borneo Company) up to the present under the government of Malaysia.
(2) Flawed execution of the “transfer” of the territory: The British North Borneo Company by virtue of its payment of rent to the sultanate held the role of lessee. As such it enjoyed none of the sort of authority to dispose of leased assets normally enjoyed by a lessor (the owner of an asset that is the subject of a lease agreement).
(3) Residency and citizenship of the Sultan of Sulu: The Sultan of Sulu is a resident and citizen of the Republic of the Philippines and has entrusted representation of his and his peoples’ interests to the Philippine government.
Item 3 is the most interesting point in the context of how the Philippine Government is currently botching its handling of this international imbroglio. Indeed, the Philippine Government under BS Aquino is virtually defending Malaysia from its own citizens…
Hajirul said armed civilians in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi are ready to enter Sabah to support the sultan’s followers.
Intelligence sources confirmed groups of armed Tausugs were massing up in areas just across Sabah.
“The only thing that prevents these armed civilian groups from swarming to Sabah is the naval blockade being enforced by the Philippine Navy,†a source from Sulu said.
At least six gunboats are patrolling the waters near Sabah to prevent undocumented Filipinos from going to the territory and joining forces with the sultan’s followers in Lahad Datu.
Add this moronic situation to the Philippine Military’s track record of missing the whole point of its very existence which, in all ironies, began in 1986 when it came so dangerously close to mowing down a million-strong civilian Filipinos peacefully massed in EDSA to protest an allegedly criminal dictatorship. Back then the military leadership had to make a crucial decision as to who it really wanted to defend. Perhaps it should make a similar decision on the back of those same principles today.
More to the specific point, this seems to be an unprecedented military position taken by a national naval force — protecting the coastline of a foreign country against the very citizens it is sworn to protect.
For a people renowned for testosterone-fuelled pomposity, Filipinos seem to approach its military and diplomatic challenges with a flaccid character, choosing instead to regard as “heroes” its army of overseas foreign workers (OFWs), many of whom are employed by the Malaysian people. It is hardly surprising then that such a people are led by a man known as The Yellow One.
Who really is the Boss?
History will, as always, be the judge.
benign0 is the Webmaster of GetRealPhilippines.com.
ANC just reported that 10 Filipinos were already killed in Sabah, and the Kiram family is now pleading, saying most of their men are only armed with bolos and knives. This is depressing 🙁
that’s what they deserve. puro bayag lang.
buti sila me bayag kesa sa yo pekpek lang, maluwang na at mabaho pa….
I think Kiram and his followers will fail to claim Sabah, thus, alot more casualties. PNoy already ordered them to return to the country and settle this ancient issue peacefully but what did they do? As Mar Roxas said, “Eh matigas kasi ang ulo.â€
‘If it’s true that Gonzales
had a hand in the Sabah
stand off, could Gloria
Arroyo be far behind?’
http://www.malaya.com.ph/index.php/opinion/25445-aquino-fell-into-saboteurs-trap
I think we know now who is to be blamed for this mess.
@eduardo a.k.a malacanang apologist
Your logic is bound to fail. The only one to be blamed for this is no other than aquino himself. Aquino is already in powet and your president IS still blaming the previous administration. That is not how a leader should act. Aquino should take responsibility for this mess that happened under his ill fated administration.
P.S
You really should think of other spiels to use. Your “blame gloria for everything” spiel still has no effect.
Bring Gloria over again makes you totally insane.
Never read the article, huh?
It seems that eduardo is too stupid to read the entire article since the truth is too much for his puny brain to handle.
dude you’re a sick bastard…. always finding someone to blame….. you’re just a typical uneducated filipino…… no offense to others…… the whole government is sick….. “ehh matigas kasi ulo” they shouldn’t be in government position they should defend their fellow citizen….. historically speaking the kiram family has the right to claim….. and that land should have been theirs and by extension a property of the philippines
of course we do.
noynoying p-noy
ignored request for meeting
letter lost in post – right
his knowledge of international affairs/relations is appalling.
thats what happens when you live an isolated life. you develop an isolated mind.
if tge bullets are flying, p-noy will be under the desk – or his main priority, campaigning. p-noy is a sick joke
of course we know who is to blame
noynoying p-noy
ignored request for meeting
letter lost in post – right
his knowledge of international affairs/relations is appalling.
almost as bad as caradangs knowledge of communications.
back to reading a teleprompter for him
thats what happens when you live an isolated life. you develop an isolated mind.
if tge bullets are flying, p-noy will be under the desk – or his main priority, campaigning. p-noy is a sick joke
we already know this admin sucks but the sultanate should move on already and realize their monarchaic reign is already over, sabah shouldnt even have been theirs but the sabah people in the first place, and i understand why lot of you supports them, cause of your selfish desires ,ofcourse who doesnt want a piece of land rich in natural resources? anyway sir are you sure lease payments to the Sultan of Sulu have persisteted virtually uninterrupted since the middle of the 18th Century ? not late 1800s or 1900s?
Why hate the sultanate? They have a claim on the land, whether the land is populated or not. If they want to protect and claim their property and have evidence to prove it, why not? Are you saying that because they are rich and ‘monarchial’, that they should not claim their properties if they have papers? If you want to include the people, the best way is to have a referendum over them r declare themselves independent of two countries. . The sultanate has a claim because they have been receiving rent, which remains to their minds that they are still owners and they can claim whenever they want. Do even understand the concept of renting out space or just a vent at people who have the capacity to rent it?
Sutan of Sulu royal army will be returning to Sulu after their farewel dinner in lahat datu.
It’s the sacred duty of the security forces to shoot dead all intruders in Lahad Datu. They should also eliminate the 60 over claimants to the Sulu Sultanship, their families and relatives. Under the Customary law, the entire land area of Sabah is NCR (Native Customary Right) and belongs to the Native of Sabah i.e. the Dusunic and Murutic groupings.
The sovereignty of Sabah rests with its people. The claimants to the Sulu Sultanship cannot claim private property rights to Sabah just because the British North Borneo Chartered Company found it convenient to recognize the Brunei and Sulu Sultan’s extortionist activities against the terrified traffic along the northern and eastern waterways in Sabah in order to get what they wanted in the Territory. Customary law came long before the British North Borneo Chartered Company’s so-called agreements with the Brunei and Sulu Sultans.
Perhaps one of the main reasons why the Sultanate failed is because they can’t quite clearly delineate what exactly the Sultanate of Sulu is comprised of. Is Palawan included? How large of Sabah does the Sultanate own? How about the provinces within the new Bangsamoro accord?
that’s what you get for electing an incompetent president… He is the most ignorant president that i know… he became a president out of pity…
Wow! I admire the people on malacanang how they connect GMA to almost everything that is happening. “Kasalanan na naman ni GMA?”. Hahahaha, This makes me lugh, they immediately release a propaganda, conspiracy theory or whatever you want to call it, the media is biased, during the luneta hostage taking it has full media coverge even provided the hoatage taker a full vies of what is happening, and now why is the media all silent? Ganun pala pag ibang lahi ang namamatay all attention, pero pag Filipino dedma lang?
Yan lang kasi ang alam nilang gawin kundi puro sisi nalang ng sisi. Hindi na ako magugulat kung matanggal si panot sa pwesto sa kakasisi niya at kaka noynoying niya sa mga sangkatutak na isyu na hindi niya pinapansin.
My grandfather and my father both serve military, they say that expect that there will be a coup de etat. I wonder of they still connect GMA if there is a coup de etat againts PNoy, maybe the yellows will say ” Si GMA may pakana nyan” That would be fun to watch.
Well…. That only shows how LAME the people in the government is nowadays…, If they did listen carefully and STUDIED well their home works well bloodshed could have been averted… I applaud the efforts of the late Presidents Diosdado Macapagal and Ferdinand Marcosfor bringing this issue to the International Community and the UN… They are the ONLY Presidents that has the BALLS to uphold the claims of our MUSLIM or TAUSUG BROTHERS from the peice of land that is rightfully belongs to sulu….
The government is saying that they are taking action for a peaceful solution to the issue… Well, it seems that the PRESENT GOVERNMENT is not WALKING its TALK… They are saying that they WALK the WALK and TALK the TALK… I wonder if government is still in the right track in dealing with the present situation?… My guess is good as yours that we are not… The way things are going…, Hindi ko makita ang sinasabing MATUWID NA DAAN “NASAAN BA ANG MATUWID NA DAAN KUNG ANG MGA TAONG NANINIWALA SA MATUWID NA KATUWIRAN ay HINDI MO MATULUNGAN???” THE LEADER of OUR nation ALWAYS BRAGS about DOING WHAT IS RIGHT.. and getting back at those who did WRONG… I ADMIRE you for that!!! but right now.. ITS just CRAFT… ALL BS and doing nothing just goes to show that the government only Brags SHIT.. and can’t WALK its OWN TALK.
Iyan ba ang natutuhan mo kay Marcos? Buti na lang sinipa siya sa Malacanan!
At ano bang ang natutunan mo kay Cory? NOTHING. You actually hate PROGRESS and prefers MEDIOCRITY.
Man, you’re very delusional. It’s very cool to DEMONIZE a person and then TAKES AWAY on what that person did for the country.
Admit it: you’re DELUSIONAL. 😛 Sipain dapat si eduardo dahil sa kanyang mga kasinungalingan and a proud murderer.
vincensus ignoramus, magkano na ba ang binigay na sweldo sa iyo ngayon ng ministro carandung mo? Pahingi naman o kasi gusto kong bumili ng isang PS3 game e.
anong natutunan kay marcos???si marcos lng ang una’t huling pangulo na nagtangkang i-claim ang sabah,,,baka sa tatay nya??si ninoy…si ninoy ang nagbulgar sa planong pagkuha ng pinas sa sabah….nasira tuloy ang plano ni marcos na mapasa-atin ang sabah…
WHY, put into waste a JUST and RIGHTFUL claim???…
The GOVERNMENT has an EXCELENT LEVERAGE and in a WELL -ROUNDED position in dealing with the issue, because it’s a FILIPINO CITIZEN and ITS LIVING LINEAGE are the ones who are claiming the LAND for its country…
Mr. PRESIDENT, WHY NOT ADD THIS to YOUR LEGACY, RATHER THAN, BEING the PRESIDENT, THAT WALKED THE STRAIGHT PATH… WHY NOT BE THE PRESIDENT WHO LEAD HIS COUNTRY by WALKING THE STRAIGHT PATH and HAS RECLAIMED ALL ITS LOST TERRITORIES then RESTORED A LONG LASTING PEACE….
It’s a fitting legacy the NAME, that you could leave behind this GREAT LECACY for all generations to come…
Right now,This is a WIN,WIN situation for you… ALL CARDS are ALL in your FAVOR… PLAY them RIGHT… You need to RECLAIM SABAH, this will not only increase the country’s resources and you will also WIN the full support of not just our muslim and tausug brothers but the whole NATION itself…
Sabah is a hopeless cause, it endangers their own lives and they also put a risk on our countrymen who is living peacefully in Sabah. The best way to settle this is through peace talks.
Aquino has the same reactin to the present Sabah crissis. Like the Luneta Chinese Hostage crissis. He is running away from it. This retarded and coward President cannot deal with any crissis. Sibat at Takbo are his solutions to crissis….
It should be reaction, rather than reactin…sorry for the mistake…
He is not a coward. He even fights for us against Chinese aggression.
Riiight, so says the stupid yellow zombie that believes all the LIES of the aquino administration. Your post is full of fail. Your president’s downfall is fast approaching.
Lies. All lies.
How can he fight against Chinese aggression due to the fact that China is a rising economy, military might and even the President himself is HALF-CHINESE?
Man, you’re DELUSIONAL. 😛
Please be reminded Pnoy did not direct a war against the Malaysians. He is not to be blamed for this. The unprovoked scramble into Sabah was the brain-child of a distraught Sulu leader who dreams of becoming the perpetual head of his lost tribe, with a bunch of equally malign foot soldiers, one world say die-hard fanatics. Why should Pnoy take blame for this sheer nonsense and drop into another pool of quicksilver?
Sana maubos kayong lahat mga landgrabber kayo. Dinamay pa ninyo ang gobyernong PNoy.
Please be reminded that we don’t believe your bullshit. Give up now you dumb piece of shit.
Wow! And you have the guts to call them land grabbers? Is it called land grabbing when it is your land?
Are you forgetting that the true land grabbers are your so much worship supreme leader? Hacienda Luisita? Purchase by means of GSIS to be distributed to its tenants, and up till now they are holding it. Who do you think is the land grabber now?
Eduardo prefers to be clueless about the true nature of the aquinos since he is their number one @$$licker.
This is so sad! Pnoy is the speaker for the malaysian government. Sabah is ours! this government got bo balls!
They don’t have balls only yellow ballers
Hay… Dada ng dada, mga walang magawa… Baka sarili ninyo di rin maitama ang buhay…
Mayroong mas importanteng priorities na dapat unang gawin…
http://www.bloomberg.com/video/philippines-beats-global-stocks-by-124-sA8WLH1xSSWeXPDUFHyQfA.html/
BRAVO PILIPINAS…
Diosmio…expect PNoy supporters to brag about so-called economic “gains” by PNoy even when the topic is Sabah standoff. You should also credit the previous administration for her economic policies, which PNoy is still using now.
Don’t change the topic, please.
Arroyo NEVER, I repeat, NEVER had contributed absolutely nothing to the rising economy only possible through our president Noy.
I already asked you this before but I’ll ask you again: Tell ask exactly what PNoy did to help the economy. Please give us specifics or else. 😉
P.s aquino was stealing money as a senator, and is now using taxpayers money to bribe senators/congressmen.
You conveniently forget that, and clearly have as little values accomplishments as he does.
Some of us are far better bred than aquino, and do not have much respect for a family of crooks and traitors.
Hahaha. Looks who’s talking if nit for GMA the philippine economy would go down the drain with the 2008 global finacial crisis. And don’t ever think that the drop in Peso to Dollar ratio is thanks to our economy, your wrong, the sudden drop is because the US suffered dearly in the crisis. All of the programs of your so-called supreme leader is just a copy of GMA’s. I’ m a nurse, before GMA implemented the NARS (Nurses Assigned in Rural Areas) when PNoy came he just change it to RN Heals and called it his program. CCT is also GMA program, he also change it’s name to PPP (Pantawin Pamilya Program). Your Supreme Leader is just a credit grabber, he has done nothing but copy, a cheap cheater. Hahaha. And Private Public Partnership? its just a way to sell government own facilities and infrastructure to his KKK own companies, Just like what they did to Petron, Napocor and many more. I will not be suprise at the end of his term, “wala ng pagaari ang Pilipinas”. If he will finish his term, IF.
@eduardo
Aquino is the one that did not contribute anything to the economy. All he ever does is blame blame blame like what you are doing right now.
You are continuing to make a fool of yourself. You can’t even prove your stupid claim.
You are just like your idol, a big fat JOKE.
If you claim that your idol is as good as you say he is then why is he using an idiot like YOU to propagate his propaganda?
Don’t show your face here again until you learn to grow a BRAIN.
P.s
Get a job, a life and grow a brain you stupid sack of sh!t.
Wow Eduardo, you are out of your head! You have the guts to say that GMA has never contributed to the rising economy of our country. The fact is, it was her economic policies that your credit-snatching president is using now to push-through his “matuwid na daan” kuno. He only changes the names but we, citizens that uses our heads knew from the start that it was all GMA’s policies that he continue implementing. What can we expect from your vindictive, yellow-tard president? For the kapalpakan, blame, Gloria, etc. Where was he doing during the Sabah standoff? Campaigning, instead of working out a diplomatic solution to regain what is rightfully ours
@wilhelmina, Eduardo is not out of her head. She is just doing her job. Albeit while changing IDs. The artist previously known as Fishball, Vincente Ignmoramus and other ids that lasted two days. Truth Minister Ricly gives her a copy paste doc everyday to troll online with their Macbooks.
LOL! What do I expect from you Ilda? You’re an Aquino basher and pro-GMA blogger! Blog something good about our country to promote goodness and unity among us. Forget your political affiliation and be a “FILIPINO”.
By the way, kamukha mo si GMA… Are you related? PEACE sista 🙂
“Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official, save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country. It is patriotic to support him insofar as he efficiently serves the country. It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent that by inefficiency or otherwise he fails in his duty to stand by the country. In either event, it is UNPATRIOTIC not to tell the TRUTH, whether about the president or anyone else.â€
― Theodore Roosevelt
You should be the one who really needs to forget your political affiliation.
If Cory didn’t die will you still vote for PNoy?
If Ninoy didn’t die will you vote for Cory?
They used sympathy for the dead just to make it in office. They don’t have reapect for the dead.
LOL! What do I expect from you Mael? Ignore the GRP’s of the world and just bend over and take Valte, Lacierda and Carandang as the Gospel truth. I can give you proof GRP works, you are here and bother to state your displeasure. Keep reading .
What makes you say I’m an Aquino basher and pro-GMA blogger? Please be specific.
What makes you say I don’t promote goodness and unity among us? Please be specific.
What’s my political affiliation?
What makes you say “kamukha mo si GMA?” Have you seen me in person?
LOL! What do I expect from you Mael? You’re a Noytard! In your mind anyone who criticizes Bullshit Aquino is automatically pro-GMA! In your mind promoting unity means submitting to the will of Bullshit Aquino and company!
Being a Filipino does not equate to supporting Bullshit and co. unconditionally. If there’s someone whom you should be telling to forget their political affiliation, it should be to yourselves, you Noytards!
By the way, kamukha mo pwet ni Bullshit Aquino…are you related? :p
LOL 🙂
Who the HELL is MAEL? 😛
Oh, I know. A uneducated whiny emo ATTENTION WHORE who is also as dumb as any ignorant Pinoy pleb.
Oh yeah, we are GRP are the definition of FILIPINO while you are the definition of “Pinoy”.
Sheesh, attacking the messenger and not the message is the most pathetic thing the human race would’ve done. Deal with it.
Oh great just what we need. Another indio de trapo who talks people and not solutions. Saang paaralan ka ba nag-aral at parang squatter iyang asal mo sa amin inutil ka?
It looks like this is another one of eduardo’s kin. Same stupid style of trolling, same retarded reasoning and same flawed spiel. Jo
Btw here’s a counter-rebutal on your improving economy delusion. Read it and weep indio de trapo: http://ph.news.yahoo.com/philippines-elite-swallow-countrys-wealth-034005290.html
business processing outsourcing, which now accounts for 10% of GDP was her initiative.
shame you never went to university or you might understand more and be able to apply logic and use english.
provincial minds and thinking is exactly what holds the country back.
you are exhibit a.
get educated. stupidity is not becoming for anyone.
try to learn something and get a job. and some self respect.
“Eh matigas kasi ang ulo.†– Mar Roxas
This statement pretty much sums up what the Aquino government’s stand on this issue. Suits them well considering that they prefer to be malaysian a$$lickers instead of helping a filipino citizen out. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Just like his grandpa and his father before him, aquino prefers to betray his fellow kin instead of helping them.
With the way things are going, I would say that the yellow colored shit has officially hit the fan for the aquino government. It would be too late for the malacanang trolls to protect their falling leader.
The end is near for the aquino government.
Long been waiting for big fall of the gay in yellow shirt.
This would be a compelling case as stated by Dick Gordon. http://ph.news.yahoo.com/aquino-courting-impeachment-with-sabah-stand–says-gordon-060329966.html
The bottomline is Sabah belongs to the Philippines and it is in black and white.
I just wish we could relive someone just like President Marcos.
We need someone that has an Iron fist on the implementation of rules and someone who has a backbone to claim was is rightfully OURS.
Living on his parents shadow… That’s where he belongs in their shadows.
YELLOW = FEAR and COWARDICE.
That is how you strongly represent your color.
Why is everything so strongly anti-Noynoy? Yes, the government has done a heckuva job managing the situation in Sabah, and this situation need not have escalated if Noynoy’s cabinet had any diplomatic savvy, but this is ultimately not about Noynoy’s incompetence and indifference upon the Sultan’s Sabah claim, as four presidents before him have considered the issue a dormant one at best.
So much hoo-hah, too little asking the people of Sabah (and Sarawak, since Nur Misuari wants a piece of that as well), ‘Would you like your land to be annexed as part of Philippine territory — or rather remain a part of Malaysia — or become independent?’
(Here’s to hoping people warring over Gloria and her legacy AGAIN could read this little post of mine.)
The Philippine military should not be involved. Instead, this should be raised in international courts.
why are you pinoys saying sabah belong to the bastards sulu sultans…the indigenous people of sabah have more right to their ancestrals land more than the sulu sultans…
and what proof the sulu sultans have saying the sultanate of brunei gave part of sabah to their ancestors… where is the written document can you pinoys upload it on the internet…
all they can give is lease document which the same person also acquired from the sultanate of brunei paying more than what the sulu sultans received..