HRH Rajamuda Muedzul-lail T Kiram of the Sultanate of Sulu, legitimate claimant to the throne

Shown in photo: His Royal Highness Rajamuda Muedzul-lail T Kiram and some of his Royal Council after the meeting on 11 June 2012 at Astanah Negara Sulu. In the photo are, ARMM DTI SEC. Hji Hamid Awad (Ruma Bitchara) Dept of Labor Director Hji Shiek Jaafar Asgali (Ruma Bitchara) Hon. Vice Mayor Hji Omar Sali (Ruma Bitchara) Helping Foundation Director Engr Darwin Sanaani (Ruma Bitchara) and members of the Panglima." (Credit: Habiba Kiram/Facebook)

Shown in photo: HRH Rajamuda Muedzul-lail T Kiram and the Chief of Staff of the Royal Armed Forces, Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) General Hji Gajer Saddaramil. (Credit: Habiba Kiram/Faebook)

HRH Rajamuda Muedzul-lail T Kiram is one of the three legitimate claimants to the throne of the Sulu Sultanate. The other two legitimate claimants are Sultan Esmail Kiram II and Sultan Jamalul Kiram III.

For information, please be warned that Datu Fuad Kiram (shown left), the uncle of the Rajamuda who has been excommmunicated by the houses of Sulu's three legitimate claimants to the throne for illegal misrepresentation, has been operating on Facebook as sultan Fuad Kiram along with a certain Omar Kiram (not a Kiram in reality* but is fraudulently presenting himself to be a prince marshal of Sulu and Sabah). The two have been bestowing illegal European sounding nobility titles to just about anyone on Facebook. 

Fuad Kiram cannot be considered a legitimate claimant to the sultanate of Sulu throne because he is not in direct line of succession but remains a royal datu. Furthermore, Datu Fuad Kiram has been excommunicated by the houses of Esmail Kiram II, Jamalul III and Muedzul-lail T Kiram for fraudulently usurping the throne and for abandoning his wife and daughter Habiba.

NB: "Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) Founder and chairman and Tausug warrior Professor Nur Misuari has told the administrators of this blog in conversations late last year that he does not know where Mr Omar Kiram comes from and confirmed that Mr Omar Kiram who is pretending to be a prince of Sulu and Sabah is not a Tausug. 

Professor Misuari also informed us that he received Datu Fuad Kiram and Mr "Omar Kiram" sometime during the first part of the decade purely out of courtesy but the act does not imply in any way his recognition of Datu Fuad Kiram as sultan of Sulu. Furthermore, during our conversations with him, Professor Misuari refused to address Fuad Kiram with the title of sultan and insisted on referring to him as Royal Datu Fuad Kiram.

NNB: For more information on the recognized sultans of Sulu over the years, please consult the official website of the Provincial Government of Sulu, Republic of the Philippines:
http://www.sulu.gov.ph/Profile.asp?mode=sultanate

MALAYSIA DID NOT EXIST 55 YEARS AGO AND WAS ONLY FORMED 49 YEARS AGO!

By Anne de Bretagne

For Defenders of the Philippine Sabah Claim and for the Philippine Sabah Claim Forum

31 August 2012

MALAYSIA did not exist 55 years ago; in fact, it was only formed 49 years ago. So how could they celebrate so-called 55th Malaysia independence???

MALAYSIA composed of Malaya Federation (which in itself is a federation of various Malaya sultanates), Sarawak, Singapore and Sabah began to exist or was formed only on 16 September 1963. In fact, Sabah itself ONLY gained its independence from the Brits on 31 August 1963 (and not 55 years ago!).

How could MALAYSIA dare declare that they gained their independence in 1957 when MALAYSIA did not exist until September 1963 inasmuch as Sabah -- and Sarawak, was still under colonial rule?

MALAYSIANS are fooling themselves and are revising their history... What they say that MALAYSIA gained independence 55 years ago is not only totally misleading, it is a lie! Hogwash! It is turning history into 'charlatanism.'

If we are not being clear, let's do a bit of clarifying and try to understand the difference between MALAYSIA Federation and MALAYA Federation:

MALAYSIA WAS FORMED BY 4 independent states that WERE ALREADY INDEPENDENT. They were as follows: the MALAYA Federation (which in itself was a federation of various Malaya sultanates), SARAWAK, SINGAPORE and SABAH (sadly, our Sabah was included) on 16 September 1963 or 49 years ago.

It was the Malaya Federation (and not MALAYSIA) that was given its independence by the Brits in August 1957. 

Malaya Federation IS DIFFERENT from MALAYSIA Federation (in fact, the letter "S" in MALAYSIA stands for Singapore and inevitably for the "S" in Sarawak and Sabah). MALAYSIA was not created until September 1963, hence could NOT HAVE BEEN GIVEN independence 55 years ago.

Furthermore, and this is important: These 4 states were no longer under British rule when they formed Malaysia on 16 September 1963 hence there WAS NO INDEPENDENCE TO GIVE NOR INDEPENDENCE TO OBTAIN!

Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore which were part of the OF 16 Septemebr 1963's FUTURE MALAYSIA were NOT independent yet in 1957...in other words, Malaya or East Malaysia (where Kuala Lumpur is located) is hijacking history and waylaying Sabah and Sarawak! Fortunately Singapore left MALAYSIA Federation in 1965, otherwise they would be up in arms for Malaya's hijacking of history and for putting up false information. 

East Coast Malaysia also known us Peninsular Malaysia (where Kuala Lumpur is capital) is deceving MALAYSIANS in general and confusing their own people. Furthermore, they are spitting on the Sabahans by bandying fake independence dates!

Let's recap: Today, MALAYSIA Federation is composed of only three states (remember that they hijacked Sabah from us) following the 1965 expulsion of Singapore in 1965 or two years after MALAYSIA was formed. The three states that technically compose MALAYSIA today are: the former MALAYA Federation or known as EAST COAST MALAYSIA, SARAWAK and SABAH (which East Coast Malaysia calls today as West Malaysia.)

EAST COAST MALAYSIA/Peninsular Malaysia (where Kuala Lumpur is the capital) CANNOT DO A BLANKET declaration that MALAYSIA (which technically includes Sarawak and Sabah) obtained its independence 55 years ago simply because MALAYSIA WAS FORMED ONLY 49 years ago. It's a lie and is a terrible mockery of the people of Sabah and Sarawak.

Another back-to-back lie that Putrajaya officials and many leaders from Kuala Lumpur bandy about which irritates me: Barisan Nasional (one of UMNO parties) leaders go to the pulpit and say that MALAYSIA fought for independence because not only is it not true, it is also a back-to-back lie.

MALAYA Federation (East Coast Malaysia today) which is part of MALAYSIA today NEVER fought for independence. It was handed to them on a silver platter. The Malayans never fought or did sacrifices to have their independence from the Brits; the Brits told them in no uncertain terms that MALAYA would have their independence in 1957 whether they liked it or not. In fact, the Malayans were very worried when the Brits said they would be leaving them because the Malayans were frightened of the Chinese population.

If there was a group of people that tried to rebel against the Brits, it was the Chinese of Malaya (mostly in Singapore) but NOT THE Malayans. So for the Prime Minister of Malaya to say in his speeches that MALAYSIA fought for independence (already a lie because MALAYSIA did not exist in 1957) IS A HUGE UTTER LIE!

Not only has East Coast Malaysia/Peninsular Malaysia illegally hijacked Sabah from its real owners, they are now hijacking history to suit their greedy purposes. When will the lies ever stop?

NOTE: For purposes of distinction from Sabah and Sarawak or simply from MALAYSIA as a Federation, we have been and must continue calling the former MALAYA as follows: Peninsular Malaysia or East Coast Malaysia, capital is Kuala Lumpur.

Recommended reading:

BBC News: On This Day...

1957: Malaya celebrates independenceThe Federation of Malaya is now independent. The handover of power from Britain took place at midnight.Thousands of young members of the Malay, Chinese and Indian parties, which form the government, stood in darkness for two minutes at midnight to mark the official handover.
As the new flag of independence was raised they called "Merdeka" (freedom) seven times.
Tunku Abdul Rahman, the prime minister-elect, who led the negotiations with the British for handover of power, was hailed as the Father of Independence. For more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/august/31/newsid_3534000/3534340.stm

MALAYSIANS MUST KNOW THE TRUTH BLOG: SABAH INDEPENDENCE ON 31 AUGUST 1963 (From a Sabah blog)

However, it is important that the people of Sabah should be informed and enlightened of the actual historyof Sabah and stop the twisting of the facts of history by our leaders to suit their political interests without consideration of the real and inconvenient truth that Sabah gained its independence on 31 August 1963.
Independence Day of a nation is one of the most important and celebrated event. Rightly, the Sabahgovernment should celebrate Sabah Independence Day and should not bow to the imposition of thecelebration of the 55th year of Malayan Independence which has no relevance or meaning for Sabahans.
For more: http://malaysiansmustknowthetruth.blogspot.be/2012/08/sabah-independence-on-31-august-1963.html

Debasing of the proud Tausug-Sulu culture must not be encouraged

Sultanate of Sulu titles which are European sounding are proliferating on Facebook courtesy of an individual claiming to be prince marshal of the Tausugs. The impostor is not even related by blood to the royal Kirams of Sulu. This vile individual is hell bent on debasing the Sultanate of Sulu culture; his con-artistry is debasing the Philippine heritage... Really objectionable!

The attempt to fool unsuspecting Facebookers may just work if we allow this shameless con artist pretending to be a prince of Sulu to go unchecked. His debasing of the Tausug/Sulu culture is undoubtedly part of a huge scam or plot to con people in the short, mid and long term. Please be warned. Don't let yourself be fooled by his antics. His conferring on every Tom, Dick and Harry on Facebook of some European aristocratic or noble sounding title has absolutely no value; totally illegal, i.e., fake. Remember that the Philippines is not a monarchy. The Sultanate of Sulu furthermore does not and has never counted European sounding titles in its rosters of royal titles. 

In other words, the idea that the Tausugs count among them nobles with so-called European aristocratic titles of baron, baroness, viscount, count, countess, marquis, and worse, duke or duchess or whatever invented European titles is utterly stupid and laughable in the extreme.

The Tausugs we know, and one of them is MNLF founder and famous Tausug Nur Misuari himself, find it extremely objectionable that a group of charlatans on Facebook are mocking their culture.

If you are in doubt, please check with the provincial government of Sulu or contact the Tausugs; communities of Tausugs live and do trade within Metropolitan Manila area... But bottom line is for all us to be vigilant and not to prop up such actions that continue to debase a proud culture and heritage by remaining silent or worse, joining this band of frauds and impostors! Thank you.

Link to the Provincial Govt of Sulu [official] website: http://www.sulu.gov.ph/Profile.asp?mode=sultanate

Related stories: 

Attempt to deceive African bishop by fake prince marshal claiming to be prince of sultanate of Sulu (photo shown left)

Sulu Sultanate history

By desperately wanting to appease Malaysia, Philippine chief peacenicker buries national Sabah claim

Mr Marvic Leonen (shown in picture), chief peacnicker for the Philippine government panel is shortsighted and naive!

A chance for peace? You can't be serious! 

Alright, let me rephrase that... There possibly is a chance for peace -- agree, after all Mr Marvic Leonen has announced a breakthrough in the peace talks between GPH and MILF. The price of peace is the nation's willfull obliteration of national respect and dignity in favour of Malaysia.

Thanks to Mr Leonen's brilliant 10 Decision Points of Principle signed in April this year between the Malaysia-backed rebel MILF group and the Philippine government designed to allow for the Philippines to give up sovereignty over a portion of Mindanao and hand it over to the MILF and Malaysia, there just might be "peace" but even then, there is no guarantee (Malaysia just might want to grab the whole of Mindanao.). Never mind that by doing so, Mr Leonen has unilaterally given up the nation's Sabah claim...

Did I not predict that with government's timidity about the nation's standing Sabah claim, Malaysia will walk into Mindanao, land grab a huge portion of it via their MILF cronies? Well, it is happening now... 

And Mr Marvic Leonen speaks of a chance for peace? Mr Leonen himself trumpeted how our Armed Forces bent over backwards to accomodate the desideratas of the Malaysia-inspired MILF. So, of course when your Armed Forces bend over backward to accomodate the desideratas of a band of rebels, that is precursor to peace no doubt!

Mr Leonen said, “In an unprecedented manner, you saw the full cooperation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police to make your consultation a success.” 

That's fine... we can live with the Armed Forces bending over backward to their natural enemies but when the MILF chief himself "expressed optimism a breakthrough could be achieved on the issue of transition" because he had more faith in the abilities and the negotiation facilitation prowess of Tengku Dato Abd Ghafar Tengku Mohamed from Malaysia, then we have a real problem.

Mr Leonen, we believe you have been not only been shortsighted, you also have been extremely naive because the "peace" that you are trumpeting today is proof that you have allowed Malaysia to screw the Philippines through and through. And when the rest of patriotic Filipinos finally realise how you sold our sovereignty out, God help us all!

Sabah report: West Malaysians still control Sabah and Sarawak

West Malaysians (we call them Peninsular Malayasians in this blog) still control Sabah and Sarawak civil service posts. 

Reason? West Malaysians (who call Sabahans and natives of Sarawak, East Malaysians) -- and that includes Malaysia PM Najib Razak, do not trust Sabahans and Sarawakans for that matter. 


Reminder: current PM Najib is the son of former PM Tunku Abdul Razak who said he did not trust Filipinos back in the 70s.

West Malaysians need to control -- and do control, Sabah in order to be able (1) to exploit the resources of Sabah to fatten up West Malaysia and build KL, (2) to ensure that UMNO, West Malaysia's ruling coalition party, wins every single election and Sabah is key as the province holds the most number of seats in West Malaysia Parliament, thanks to ex-PM Mahathir who, during his tenure, flooded Sabah with flying voters promising relevant Malaysia papers to non-Malays in the 1980s, including to Filipinos; he then obliged the flying voters to vote UMNO.

From the report by Free Malayasia Today: West Malaysians still control Sabah and Sarawak:

“Posts have been given to Sabahans in recent years, but this is just an eye-wash. For over 40 years, posts have hardly been given to Sabahans. 

“Even if they have been given director posts, they don’t have any power,” he said.For example, Majimbun said that most district police chiefs were not even Sabahans.

West Malaysians do not have a high regard for Sabahans believing that Sabahans still 'live in the dark ages.' How do I know? Because West Malaysians have told me often enough of their contempt for Sabahans whom they believe to be unsophisticated, hence inferior, and are therefore incapable of managing Sabah.

Photo credit link: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2011/10/11/nothing-civil-about-the-service/attachment/civil-servants/

Military power will help dissuade our enemies from bullying us and instead, will encourage them to respect us.

Peninsular Malaysia has, in their warship inventory, four Laksamana class missile corvettes (from Italy) armed with anti-ship and anti-air missiles (6 missile launchers per ship) with a range of 120kms. All four corvettes are also armed with 76mm and 40mm guns as well as anti-submarine torpedo systems and possess countermeasures. They have a speed of up to 35 knots.

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the money that funded the acquisition of these warships in the 1990s was sourced from the exploited resources of Sabah and Sarawak (but mainly from Sabah petrol.)

Now, in the same corvette league (a teeny weeny bit more than 62 meters), the Philippines has three Peacock class corvettes (from the UK but now renamed the Jacinto class corvettes) commissioned by the Royal Navy in 1983, namely, BRP Apolinario Mabini, BRP Emilio Jacinto, and BRP Artemio Ricarte with a speed of 25 knots. Our Jacinto class corvettes are each armed with one 76mm gun, one 25MM gun, two 20mm cannons and two 50 caliber machine guns.

In a potential classic naval confrontation in Southern Philippine waters, say, in the Celebes Sea between these "similar" class of warships, but not to include the other naval and air assets and other top of the line weapons systems that Malaysia possesses, in my view, there is sadly little chance that our three Jacinto class corvettes will come out victorious. Hence, it is not to our advantage at all to engage in a classic naval battle scenario with the Malaysians today.

Our government must modernize our navy PRONTO. We need a credible navy because we have an immense coastline on top of the fact that our archipelago sits on and is surrounded by incredible masses of water. The problems that we are going to face in the very near future will be sea-based or ocean-based. Witness the problems in the Spratlys, the Scarborough stand-off with China, threats from Malaysia that may span the Sulu Sea, etc.,

The idea of beefing our navy ahead of say the other major service commands does not seek to engage a neighbour in naval warfare but understand that a credible naval power will ultimately imbue the nation with the confidence to force those who wish to bully us in our waters and yonder and attack our sovereignty rights to stop and think before doing it. Furthermore, beefing our navy may just also force Malaysia to stop and sit down with us so that we can finally tackle the thorny Sabah issue.

Our leaders, politicians, military planners, with their sidekicks, the China watchers, Malaysia watchers, i.e., the nation at large, etc. must remember there never is a better time than today when Julius Caesar's doctrine is more appropriate: "Si vis pacem para bellum." (If you want peace, prepare for war).

Note that the same doctrine helped prevent MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) during the Cold War, the most successful warfare ever conducted in the history of mankind when NO BULLET WAS FIRED between NATO and the Warsaw Pact forces.

A nation that is militarily credible is bound to have less enemies and   is likely to stop potential enemies from warring with her, hence, to prepare for war does not necessarily mean to engage in war. On the contrary... Of course, there is never 100 per cent guarantee but military power will help dissuade our enemies from bullying us and instead, will encourage them to respect us.

NB: First photo shows one of Malaysia's KD Laksamana class corvettes; second photo shows the Philippines' Jacinto class corvettes.

NBB: Originally posted on the Philippine Sabah Claim Forum

22 June: 50th anniversary of the filing of the Philippine claim to Sabah in the United Nations

Today is the 50th anniversary of the official filing of Philippines' claim to Sabah.

On 22 June 1962 or fifty years ago today, the Philippines, under President Diosdado Macapagal officially filed the Republic's claim to Sabah in the United Nations based on historical and legal sultanate of Sulu ownership right.

Fifty years hence, nothing concrete has been done to raise the issue with Malaysia. Instead, in 2003, the daughter of President Diosdado Macapagal who became 'president' extra-constitutionally opened the gates of Mindanao to the Malaysians by allowing the Malaysians to control the so-called peace talks with the MILF and almost gave a huge chunk of Mindanao. 

Today, the son of the senator who denounced President Marcos plans to invade Sabah in the late 60s and who has become president himself has continued the process -- in Kuala Lumpur to boot leading to a signed agreement under the diktat of Malaysia for the creation of a "new political entity."

Where has national self-respect gone???

Lease documents shown below. You may also click on this link here.

Senator Nene Pimentel: Malaysia as Mindanao "peacekeepers" poses a conflict of interest, i.e., because of Philippine Sabah claim

Senator Aquilino "Nene" Pimentel, Jr, who launched the first formal salvo tackling the Philippine Sabah claim in an October 2011 forum at the University of Makati, was the first senator and political leader of the Republic who officially expressed views on the ongoing debacle of the Republic with the Malaysia-backed MILF saying that effectively, Malaysia's incursions in Mindanao as "peacekeepers" pose a conflict of interest, i.e., because of the Philippine Sabah claim. 

During an interview with the Philippine Star in November 2011, he said, 

 “That buffer force is supposed to be led by Malaysia and I think that is the worst choice we can have, to get Malaysia involved as a peacekeeping force on behalf of the OIC, because Malaysia has definite interests that conflict with the interests of the country."

Excerpts, Philstar November 2011 report:.

Conflict of interest

In another development, former senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. called on the government to consider replacing Malaysia as mediator with the MILF because of some conflicts of interest of the Malaysians. 

Pimentel said that the recent conflicts between the MILF and government troops could have been avoided if the international peacekeeping team led by Malaysia had been more effective in its work in Mindanao. 

He said that the peacekeeping force acting on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) is supposed to be the buffer force between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the MILF. 

“That buffer force is supposed to be led by Malaysia and I think that is the worst choice we can have, to get Malaysia involved as a peacekeeping force on behalf of the OIC, because Malaysia has definite interests that conflict with the interests of the country,” Pimentel said. 

He cited the long-standing claims by the Philippines and Malaysia on Sabah as well as a certain marshland in Cotabato. 

Pimentel also noted Malaysia’s identification with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), which caused some problems in the past when the rebel group was still waging war on the government. 

“When the MNLF forces were trying to strengthen their group, they were training in Sabah which is jurisdictionally, as of now, under the administration of Malaysia. That is where they trained before,” Pimentel said.

Fifty years ago, Senator Jovito Salonga exhorted the Philippines to move about Sabah. That was fifty years ago. What have succeeding members of the nation's "august" Senate done about it?

Almost fifty years later, ONLY ONE SENATOR had the courage to call a spade a spade and tell the government that they were wrong to choose Malaysia as buffer force in Mindanao via the MILF and that was Senator Nene Pimentel. Has anyone else stood up to be heard or even mutter something intelligible about it? None!!!

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  NB: Shown above is  picture of books authored by Senator Pimentel. To visit the website of Senator Nene Pimentel, please click here.

1878 Sabah lease contract very clear: "...rights and powers hereby leased shall not be transferred..."

By Anne de Bretagne

Philippine Sabah Claim Forum

When the Sabah lease was signed 134 years ago -- on the 22nd of January 1878, between the Sultanate of Sulu & Sabah and two foreign businessmen, the Sultanate ensured that their rights to Sabah ownership were protected with this all encompassing moral and legal clause clearly spelled out in the lease contract, to wit (lease shown, 2nd photo): 

"...but the rights and powers hereby leased shall not be transferred to any nation, or a company of other nationality, without the consent of Their Majesties Government."

The whole Mindanao-Moro problem compounded by Malaysia's continuing support for the MILF right in the heart of Philippine Moro 'homeland' is without a shadow of doubt tied to the Philippine Sabah claim.

The Malaysians know it and the Filipinos know it but Kuala Lumpur will do everything in their power to make sure that the Philippines will not have a moment's respite to turn around and raise the Sabah claim. And the problem is being compounded by the fact that successive Chinese communities in Sabah have staged their own claim over Sabah and over the last couple of decades, they have been at it, trying to muster political support from the population of Sabah to claim "independence" from Malaysia.

As years go and while this problem is unsettled, there will be more problems -- political and military, that are bound to arise and could very well bring the Sabah question to the inevitable: armed conflict which it almost did back in the 60s when the Philippines attempted to take physical control of Sabah in a covert operation code-named "Operation Merdeka."

After 134 years, it is time to examine the contents of the lease and to bring them out in the open. The Republic of the Philippines -- and Malaysia, cannot continue to be blind. Sabah is either the Philippines' or it is not -- only a minitious examination of facts done in absolute good faith can determine final legal and moral ownership.

If the parties to the claim or to the counter claim refuse -- and that includes major counter claimant Malaysia, to adhere to the principle of good faith, I'm afraid, the peace and order problem in Mindano will continue as the rebel forces in Mindanao are encouraged, maintained and funded by the the current occupiers of Sabah. And unless we face this extremely sensitive Sabah question head on, there is every chance that we will be encouraging Malaysia to invade Mindanao by proxy.

How dare Mahathir lecture us on democracy!!!

WE ARE AGHAST! The University of Santo Tomas asked former Malaysia PM Mahathir to lecture us on democracy! 

HAVE FILIPINOS GOT NO PRIDE? HAS THE UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS LOST ALL MORAL BEARING?

Mahathir ibn Mohamad was Malaysia's 4th prime minister and governed his graft-ridden government for more than 22 years. During those years, Mahathir played a key role in the subversion movements in southern Philippines that have continued to plague our country to this day. He was responsible for supplying financial and logistical aid to the MNLF and to the MILF. The training of Hashim Salamat's MILF forces in Sabah (as well as the MNLF under Nur Misuari) to rebel against the Philippine government stepped up during his reign as prime minister.

It was he who made sure that Sabah became the gold mine for voters to keep UMNO in power. He instituted graft and corruption as a commonplace political tool not only in Peninsular Malaysia but also in Sabah to ensure the survival of UMNO in Malaysia parliament. He exploited the resources of Sabah, and used the spoils of Sabah to work against our own country's democratic institutions and indirectly was responsible for the untold number of deaths in our armed forces resulting from the non-stop fightings between the southern Philippine rebel moro groups and the AFP.

And this is the man who dares to lecture us about democracy? 

The University of Santo Tomas should not have asked him to be their keynote speaker. Why should Filipinos hear about the tenets of democracy from the same man who has made it his lifetime mission ensuring that there is no peace in southern Philippines so that we can not claim Sabah back? Why should Filipinos hear about the tenets of democracy from the same man whose politics ensured that displaced Filipinos in Sabah (which we own) should be treated like dogs? 

Have Filipinos got NO PRIDE???

NB: On this day, the 12th of June which marks our 114th independence anniversary, more than at any time, is the time when we should all reflect on the words of the illustrious Senator Jovito Salonga, father of the Philippine Sabah claim.  

"If, despite the assumed knowledge of the validity and justice of the Philippine claim, we fold our arms in mortal fear, we should lose not merely the respect of all law-abiding nations (the United Kingdom and the Asian countries in particular), but also a considerable measure of self-respect — which, to my mind, is more important — and, by our own inaction and timidity, lose our faith in the ultimate validity of that which is right and just."

*UST photo credit: http://www.educationpinoy.com/university-of-santo-tomas.html **Mahathir photo credit: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=816374&publicationSubCategoryId=63

Fifty years ago, Philippines filed claim to Sabah

PHILIPPINE SABAH CLAIM FORUM DATES AND EVENTS TO REMEMBER IN RELATION TO NATION'S SABAH CLAIM

By Anne de Bretagne
10 June 2012
For the Philippine Sabah Claim Forum

FIFTY YEARS AGO OR ON 22 JUNE 1962 MORE PRECISELY: PHILIPPINES FILED OFFICIAL CLAIM TO SABAH BUT PHILIPPINES FAILED TO OBTAIN SUPPORT FROM ITS FORMER COLONIAL MASTER TURNED MAJOR ALLY, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

The Malayans (not yet Malaysians) under Tunku Abdul Rahman, on the other hand, not only had the full support of Great Britain, its former overlords and then key ally but it also appeared that they had received blanket approval to annex Sabah from then United Nations Secretary General U Thant (undoubtedly through the largesse and political pressure by then superpower and Malaya colonials Great Britain.)

The question that comes to mind is why did not the United States of America give the Philippines support in its bid to establish its sovereignty rights over Sabah in 1962 or even during the 60s while the claim was clearly a hot item in the United Nations? The United States which was Philippine colonial master and at the time of the claim was filed was the Philippines' great  'benefactor.' The US, was, after al, a superpower in its own right and could have exerted influence on the United Nations and why not on Great Britain, its major ally and friend with whom it has a 'special' relationship? What happened that the United States decided not to intervene on behalf of the Philippines?

Dates and events to remember related to events surrounding the Philippine Sabah claim:

31 August 1957: Federation of Malaya (not yet MALAYSIA) was established on the Malay Peninsula thus giving the former British colony its political independence, while Britain kept Singapore, Sarawak, Brunei, and British North Borneo (Sabah) outside the federation.

12 May 1961: Malay prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman set about the formation of the Federation of Malaysia (successor to Federation of Malaya) —the political union of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak, and Sabah. The proposal was noted to have been well received in Peninsular MALAYA and Singapore but it was also noted that it was not popular in the three Borneo territories (which included Sabah) which stood to be annexed in the planned Federation of Malaysia.

May 1962: Senator Jovito Salonga treatise on "THE NORTH BORNEO QUESTION" and published in  Manila Times, Manila Chronicle, Philippines Free Press

22 June 1962: Philippines under President Diosdado Macapagal filed official claim to Sabah as successor in interest and formally opposed the planned annexation of Sabah by then Federation of Malaya and Great Britain from whom Peninsular Malaya had become independent.

12 September 1962 (and not on 11 September as claimed by some fake sultan and impostor prince claiming to be representing Sultanate of Sulu): official and formal transfer of sovereignty rights over Sabah to the Republic of the Philippines by Sultanate of Sulu through Sultan Esmail Kiram, legal and moral owners of Sabah.

January 1963: President Sukarno began a low-intensity conflict with Malaya known as Konfrontasi to prevent the annexation of Sarawak which Indonesia claimed as part of the Indonesian territory.

16 September 1963: Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore were annexed to Federation of MALAYA to create the Federation of MALAYSIA. Philippines and the newly formed Federation of Malaysia severed diplomatic ties.

*In picture: President Diosdado Macapagal aboard USS Oklahoma in 1962.

Peninsular Malaysia is illegally holding Sabah

By Anne de Bretagne 

Philippine Sabah Claim Forum

29 May 2012

I have always held the view that Peninsular Malaysia's continuing annexation of Sabah is constitutionally wrong even by 1963 Malaysia Federation constitution standard. 

For starters, Malaysia's treatment of its historical facts has always been, to my mind, filled with a lot of half-truths. Malaysians continue to deceive their own people by teaching their children that Malaysia (not Malaya) gained independence from the British in 1957 which is an utter lie.

Malaysia was born on 16 September 1963. So how could a nation which was not even born gain independence? How could Malaysia say that they gained their independence from the British when the British had technically not ruled the Peninsula since 1957? Lies have always been the basis of existence of Peninsular Malaysia.

First off, Sabah which was a separate entity that was under direct British colonial control received independence from their British colonialists on 31st August 1963 and for FIFTEEN DAYS was technically truly INDEPENDENT. However on 16 September 1963, it was annexed to a new political entity whose new constitution was not even formally framed yet: the new MALAYSIA Federation.

Second, the referendum was a sham! During the fifteen days when Sabah was supposed to be technically independent of their British colonizers, we were, and are still being made to believe that the idea of a 1963 referendum to determine if Sabahans agree for their infant nation to join a new Malaysia Federation that was in the making was presented to the people of Sabah, that debates on the referendum were organised, that colloques were held, that political discussions across massive Sabah and among Sabahans took place, that voting was held, that counting was done, and that finally, that it was determined that Sabahans indeed decided, etc., and that all of these activities that would decide the fate of an infant so-called independent nation took place in a matter of fifteen days!!!! Bollocks!

We all know that Tunku Abdul Rahman, the Malayan who was leading the Malayans at the time distributed a few leaflets about the referendum, talked to a few Sabahan leaders, promised them a lot of good things and then instructed them to do things to ensure that the referendum would be for an "Aye!" vote.

"The response from Sabah and Sarawak was not on par with that from Singapore and the initial response from Brunei, since both territories feared losing authority in the administration of their governments. Apart from this, the non-Malays feared that the Malays in Sabah and Sarawak would be even more dominant should the merger take place. To allay their fears, Tunku Abdul Rahman went to these territories in June 1961 and set up the Malaysia Solidarity Consultative Committee (MSCC) to inform the people of the benefits of the merger." (Federation of Malaysia pdf document)"

The group that was was tasked with overseeing that the people of Sabah supported the proposal for Sabah to become a federated member of the new Malaysia Federation was the Cobbold Commission which was also "responsible for the subsequent drafting of the Constitution of Malaysia prior to the formation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963."

Members of the Commission were:

• Lord Cobbold, former Governor of the Bank of England, chairman of the Commission
• Wong Pow Nee, Chief Minister of Penang,
• Mohammed Ghazali Shafie, Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Anthony Abell, former Governor of Sarawak
• David Watherston, former Chief Secretary of Malaya.

Notice anything? NO SABAHAN member of the Commission!!!

What is surprising is that the Cobbold Commission report did not specifically address the concerns of the people but instead reported on generalities that tended to address the Malaya desiderata! Many Sabahans later on insisted that they had not even been allowed to vote. It is believed that many Sabahans, given the prevailing conditions for travelling at the time, hence communication lines were hardly available, were not even aware that a referendum to decide on their fate was being organised.

Here's a Wiki entry on the Commission's report http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Borneo_dispute : 

The Commission found that 'About one third of the population of each territory [i.e. of North Borneo and of Sarawak] strongly favours early realisation of Malaysia without too much concern over terms and conditions. Another third, many of them favourable to the Malaysia project, ask, with varying degrees of emphasis, for conditions and safeguards... The remaining third is divided between those who insist upon independence before Malaysia is considered and those who would strongly prefer to see British rule continue for some years to come' [12].

Thirdly, it's all about the new federation's Constitution, stupid! Alright... so let's say the Sabah referendum took place and let's further say that the results favoured joining a new political entity called the new Malaysia Federation. Let's accept that Sabah finally joined the new entity and that by virtue of Sabah's joining old Malaya, along with Sarawak and Singapore, the new Malaysia Federation was born on 16 September 1963 (instead of 31 August 1963 because Indonesia was protesting the inclusion of Sarawak.)

The problem with the new federation is that it was being created on the basis of the Constitution of the OLD Federation of Malaya States (federation of Malaya sultanates) which was still in vigour. This is so because technically, a Constitution for the New Malaysia Federation was not yet finished although mind you it was being rushed by the Cobbold Commission. So there was a hiccup. But never mind, let's accept that they rushed the inking of the new Constitution (as opposed to the old 1957 Malaya federation constitution involving only the Malaya states/sultanates http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Malaysia); it was finally drafted and contained a clear provision that named all the new members namely, old [federation of] Malaya states, Sarawak, Singapore and Sabah.

The Birth of Malaysia: On 9 July 1963, the Governments of the Federation of Malaya, United Kingdom, North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore signed the Malaysia Agreement 175 whereby Singapore, Sarawak and North Borneo would federate with the existing States of the Federation of Malaya and the new federation so established would be calledMalaysia. The Federal Parliament then passed the Malaysia Act176 to amend Art. 1(1) and (2) of the Federal Constitution to provide, inter alia, for the admission of the three new States and for the renaming of the Federation as Malaysia. The Act received the Royal assent on 26 August and was to come into force on 16 September1963

The proviso in the new Malaysia Constitution left no room for doubt that the new Federation of Malaysia held on the basis of the union of FOUR independent states namely MALAYA (old Malaya Union or old federation of Malaya states/sultanates), SARAWAK, SINGAPORE, and SABAH.

But Singapore's chief minister Lee Kuan Yew was not happy with the status quo. He opposed the federal policies of affirmative action, which granted special privileges to Malays guaranteed under Article 153 of the Constitution of Malaysia (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Republic_of_Singapore). On 9th August 1965, after racial riots, Malaysian Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman expelled Singapore from the new Malaysia federation.

Therefore when Singapore exited on 9th August 1965 from the newly formed "Malaysia Federation" whose newly framed Constitution specified that the Federation held based on the provision that the new Malaysia Federation held if all 4 states were together, Singapore's act rendered the existence of the new federation null and void.

In this context, it is only common sense that the continuing annexation of Sabah to a federation that does not constitutionally hold even by the new Malaysia Federation standard cannot be legal. In essence, the continuing annexation of Sabah by today's Peninsular Malaysia is not only illegal, it is also morally wrong.

So why is Malaysia continuing to illegally annex Sabah? If Malaysia wants to legalise their hold on Sabah, it is only fair that a new referendum to ask the people of Sabah must be held. But Malaysia cannot continue to use underhanded tactics, and make the world think that their fantasmagorical historical fantasies are real!

RECOMMENDED READING:

An Essay on the Constitutional History of Malaysia [1995] 3CLJ xiv (July)

A new federation in the making

American support for the new Malaysia

Fifteen Days of Independence