File of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. | Photograph credit score: AP
Malaysia has protested towards new maritime legal guidelines within the Philippines that it says encroach on its territory, a authorities official mentioned on Friday.
Deputy Overseas Minister Mohamad Alamin mentioned Malaysia despatched a notice of protest on Thursday over the Philippine legal guidelines. Consultants have discovered that reference paperwork associated to the legal guidelines reaffirmed Manila’s long-standing declare to the oil-rich Malaysian state of Sabah in northern Borneo, he mentioned.
Final week, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the Philippine Archipelagic Maritime Routes Act, which reaffirmed the nation’s maritime territories and proper to assets, together with the South China Sea. They additional cement Manila’s rejection of Chinese language claims over just about your complete South China Sea and stipulate jail phrases and stiff fines for violators. The legal guidelines have additionally angered China.
China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Indonesia and Taiwan all declare components of the South China Sea. Clashes between Chinese language and Philippine naval and coast guard forces at sea have elevated since final yr, elevating fears that the US, Manila’s former treaty ally, might be drawn into a significant battle.
Mohamad Alamin was quoted by native media as saying in Parliament on Thursday that the brand new Philippine legal guidelines lengthen their claims to Malaysia’s borders drawn in 1979 and acknowledged internationally. He mentioned the protest notice demonstrated Malaysia’s dedication to defend its sovereignty.
Sabah, which is a two-hour boat experience from the southern Philippines, and neighboring Sarawak in Borneo grew to become a part of Malaysia in 1963. The Philippines has lengthy laid declare to Sabah, which was as soon as a part of the centuries-old Sultanate of Sulu.
Printed – Nov 15, 2024 10:17 pm IST
