KOTA KINABALU: The special secretariat handling claims by the self-proclaimed Sulu heirs admits that there is a lack of historical knowledge and evidence on many matters pertaining to this issue as it involved many parties in the past.
They have taken it upon themselves to address these shortcomings by, among others, holding colloquiums on historical facts and narratives involving this matter starting next week in Kuala Lumpur.
Sabah Law Society president Roger Chin, who is part of the secretariat, said three colloquiums are being planned for now, with the next two set for Sabah and London.
“The dates have yet to be confirmed and we will make it known later,” he said during a briefing on the latest status pertaining to the Sulu claims on Sabah and Malaysia here yesterday.
Chin was responding to nominated assemblyman Datuk Yong Teck Lee’s statement that there are many inaccuracies in the historical background with regards to these claims, including the fact that Sabah was never under the Sulu Sultanate.
Yong, a former Sabah chief minister, said he has been studying and researching on the topic since the 70s, and it is vital that the narratives and historical facts are disseminated correctly.
He said it is also to ensure the so-called Sulu Sultanate heirs do not continue pursuing whatever claims on Sabah, be it monetary or others.
He said that now, the claims are mostly monetary, opening up an avenue for opportunists or fake Sulu sultans to stake a claim.
“There are many fake sultans,” Yong added.
He suggested that the Malaysian government start engaging with the Bangsamoro government in southern Philippines on security, economy and other related issues.
Kadamaian assemblyman Datuk Ewon Benedick said according to his understanding of the formation of a country and the Cobbold Commission, a nation has the right to develop itself and its people with its own laws and ways it deems appropriate without the burden of others still staking claims on it.
“The focus for Sabah and Malaysia should be on the full implementation of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and not this never-ending issue of Sulu claims on Sabah,” he added.
He felt that there should be proper research done on these matters and asked if the people of Sabah could file a civil suit against the British government and so that the British could give a proper interpretation on these agreements prior to the formation of Malaysia and MA63.
There were also calls to find out who was funding those involved in the claims and lawsuits, while some also urged for the government to find out the motive behind this matter.
On the briefing session, Prime Minister’s Department legal affairs division director-general Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud said it was aimed at getting feedback from assemblymen and other stakeholders to better counter the ongoing Sulu claims.
He said all relevant parties are doing their best to stop the self-claimed Sulu descendants’ continuous attempts to seize Malaysian properties following the controversial US$14bil (RM63bil) award by arbitrator Gonzalez Stampa last year.
