KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has sent a protest note to the Philippines concerning two new maritime laws that infringe upon Sabah's maritime boundaries, says Datuk Mohamad Alamin.
The Deputy Foreign Minister explained that the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr on Nov 8, have been confirmed to overstep Malaysia's 1979 New Map, which is grounded in international law.
Mohamad Alamin also noted that the reference documents for these laws mentioned the Philippines' claim over Sabah.
"We have finalised and deliberated on several key issues to include in our protest note.
"We are sending this protest note on Thursday (Nov 14) to affirm our commitment to defending Sabah's sovereign rights and the sovereignty of our country," he stated during the conclusion of the debate on the Supply Bill 2025 at the committee stage for the Foreign Ministry in the Dewan Rakyat.
According to international media reports, the Philippines’ two new maritime laws are seen as an effort to strengthen Manila’s claims over control of the South China Sea, which remains disputed to this day.
Regarding Malaysia's Asean 2025 chairmanship, Mohamad said the special allocation of RM560mil for the Foreign Ministry to organise various Asean-related events will cover expenses for conference facilities, accommodation for state guests and delegations, media and publicity, transportation and other services.
"The locations for Asean meetings, held throughout the country including in Sabah and Sarawak, will help generate domestic income across various local sectors such as services, hospitality, tourism, arts and crafts sales, and will promote Malaysian culture," he said.
Mohamad added that the Youth and Sports Ministry and relevant agencies are also involved in implementing several suitable programmes for young people to participate in making next year’s Asean chairmanship a success.
He said the Foreign Ministry is committed to making Asean a strong platform to ensure that every initiative implemented brings long-term benefits to Malaysia and all member states of the regional bloc.- Bernama
