Sultan takes a swing at Sabah

The Sultanate of Sulu has declared it would assert its property rights over Sabah regardless of the unresolved territorial dispute between the Philippines and Malaysia.

Sultan Esmail Dalus Kiram II said he had entered into an agreement with foreign companies to develop Sabah, especially its oil and gas reserves, to press his proprietary rights.

The sultan said, "I am getting old and the wait is too long and so I decided to sign a development contract with some legitimate foreign companies to develop our property."

He said he had sent copies of the contract to the Malaysian prime minister to inform him "that we mean to exercise our rights as stipulated by the British high court of Borneo (in 1939)."

Sabah was leased to the British North Borneo Co in 1878 by the Sultanate of Sulu but it was made part of the Federation of Malaysia in 1963 after the British granted it independence.

The Philippines’ pending claim to Sabah is dormant at this time but Kuala Lumpur continues to pay a yearly rent of $1,200 to the sultan.