KUALA LUMPUR: The Government of Malaysia has reaffirmed its commitment to defending national sovereignty based on the 1979 Map, rejecting any external maritime claims that contradict it, including those by China, the Dewan Negara was told on Tuesday (Feb 24).
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan (pic) said Malaysia has no overlapping maritime areas with China under the internationally recognised 1979 Map.
He stressed that Putrajaya would not compromise on any sovereignty claims by other countries that fall outside the boundaries set out in the map.
"We stand by the 1979 Map. Any claims made after that are neither acknowledged nor recognised. In fact, we have never held any negotiations with China on such claims,” he said during Question Time.
In reply to Senator Datuk Dr Mustafa Musa on the technical and diplomatic issues involved in determining disputed borders between Malaysia and Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, and China, to ensure more effective enforcement of maritime, air, and land zones and to prevent any aggression, Mohamad said all measures taken were grounded in international law to safeguard territorial integrity and border security.
Mohamad said that the term "boundary delimitation negotiations” was more accurate than "dispute”, as Malaysia does not have hostile disagreements with its neighbours.
On Sabah, he reiterated that Malaysia has never recognised the Philippines’ claim, stressing that the state became part of the Federation of Malaysia in 1963 through a process of self-determination endorsed by the United Nations.
On Malaysia-Indonesia border issues, he said negotiations are progressing based on the historical conventions of 1891, 1915 and 1928. In February 2025, both countries signed two memoranda of understanding covering the Sabah-North Kalimantan sector, resolving 58.3 kilometres of land boundary along the western part of Sebatik Island.
With Singapore, efforts are focused on gradually resuming sovereign management of airspace in the southern portion of the Kuala Lumpur Flight Information Region, which is currently under Singapore’s technical control.
As for Thailand, he said 11 memoranda of understanding have been signed, resulting in the demarcation of 543 kilometres, or about 82 per cent, of the total land boundary.
Replying to a supplementary question from Senator Datuk Bobbey Suan on legal challenges mounted in European courts by heirs of the Sultan of Sulu, Mohamad described the move as "forum shopping”, an attempt to seek favourable rulings in different jurisdictions.
The group first filed proceedings in a Spanish court before shifting to Luxembourg and the Netherlands, and ultimately in Paris, France, after failing in earlier bids.
"The claims by the heirs of the Sultan of Sulu are separate from those of the Philippine government, but we do not recognise either,” he said.
Malaysia’s recent success in overturning several European court decisions has been seen as a significant blow to the claimants and a boost to the country’s position in defending its territorial rights.- Bernama
