Philippine map 1944-45 featuring Sabah, part of the Philippines

A singular post: A Philippine map 1944-45 featuring Sabah annexed to the Philippines; courtesy of Defender Renz Leo Bautista.

We think it is a good illustration of the Philippine map in 1944-1945 as it was before its formal colonisation by Britain (and before it was annexed illegally by Kuala Lumpur, Peninsular Malaya in 1963.)

Contract of lease 1878

Sabah was still controlled by the British North Borneo Company (although Japanese forces had occupied it until the end of the war) up to 1946 by virtue of a contract of lease signed in  1878 by the Sultanate of Sulu and Messrs Overbeck and Dent, two foreign businessmen. Until 1946, its sovereignty rights normally belonged to the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo. Hence, it is not surprising to see North Borneo figuring within the Philippine mapping scope.

In 1946, or following Japan's capitualation in WWII, the British North Borneo Company transferred it (Sabah) to the British Crown. Britain then formally colonised North Borneo or what is known today as Sabah. So this map does look like the map representing Philippines until the formal colonisation of Sabah by Britain.

~~ Admins, Defenders of the Philippine Sabah & Spratly Claims 
24 March 2013

Related posts: 
- Understanding the Sabah claim issue
- Philippine sovereignty rights over Sabah and proprietary Sulu Sultanate ownership
- Sabah lease is key basis of our right to Sabah