Sabah For Sabahans Philippines Also Wants Sabah For Philippines

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'world has forgotten our Sabah claim ..we have not' Foreign Sec Teodoro Locsin Jr
Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will reactivate North Borneo Bureau
concrete step in country's efforts to tackle touchy Sabah claim 
Foreign Sec Teodoro Locsin Jr gave update during DFA's budget hearing at House of Representatives on Tuesday, September 15, saying the country's "honor is involved here."
Locsin last year reaffirmed Manila’s claim over Sabah at a congressional budget briefing
"While we fiercely guard our waters, we are not forgetting our terrestrial domain. In pursuit of securing what is ours, I have decided to reactivate the North Borneo Bureau after realizing that the rest of the world has forgotten our Sabah claim, casually designating it as another country's territory when we have not forgotten it," Locsin said. 
Philippines has kept claim dormant to maintain harmonious ties with Malaysia.
This may no longer be the case, Locsin said, "we will address this with the utmost vigor."
"They must be Filipino because Sabah is ours! That's all there is to it. If Malaysia doesn't like it, that's too goddamned bad for them. This question of ASEAN amity – that won't get in the way of my assertion of what is ours," he said. 

Sabah issue in late July, after tweet from US embassy America donated hygiene kits to Filipinos from "Sabah, Malaysia" triggered firestorm of tweets from Locsin and Hishammuddin Hussein two countries eventually summoned one another's diplomats. 
(OSTB : Bodoh. The Americans make one Tweet and Malaysia and Philippines start arguing.) 
Malaysia 1 of 5 countries with most Filipinos overseas, leading source of tourists, and a close partner in fighting piracy and terrorism. 
My comments :
Do you all remember the Sulu fellows attacking Lahad Datu in 2013? We will never know the full story. Why did the "pirates" target and claim that particular place - that Felda area in Tanduo? There was some suggestion of dispute over Felda land. Some of the "pirates" were also living in Sabah and wanted Felda land.  So the story went.
They also entered other spots like Sempoerna but they did not really behave like "pirates". They did not rob anyone. They did not try robbing any banks which has happened before. They entered Sabah and they sat there. I think they wanted money. 
And it took SIX LONG weeks for our government to get rid of  a bunch of rag tag high on drugs village idiots. In the process they also killed 10 of our Police and security boys.
Now the Philippine Foreign Minister Teodoro Locsin Jr is claiming Sabah again. Locsin says he will claim Sabah "vigorously".  
Not just Locsin but some other Filipino politicians (as reported in the South China Morning Post) also said that they will keep their claim on Sabah to take advantage of "future opportunities" developing inside Malaysia. Meaning if Sabah becomes independent or fully autonomous from Malaysia. 
So I have a question : The rag tag Sulu villagers held Lahad Datu for SIX LONG WEEKS. If the Philippine Army were to invade Sabah how long will it take for us to throw them out?  We may not be able to get rid of them even in SIX YEARS.
And what about the people of Sabah? Which would you prefer? Remain in Malaysia, become part of the Philippines or become "independent"? 
Believe me if Sabah becomes "independent" the Philippines will invade Sabah. Even if the Philippines does not invade Sabah, the Sulus will reinvade Sabah again.  There is no way the Filipinos will tolerate an "independent" Sabah. 
But I did notice the following about the Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin :

Foreign Sec Teodoro Locsin Jr gave update during DFA's budget hearing at House of Representatives on Tuesday, September 15, saying the country's "honor is involved here."Locsin last year reaffirmed Manila’s claim over Sabah at a congressional budget briefing
So this guy Locsin brings up this Sabah claim everytime he has to ask for Budget allocations for his Department of Foreign Affairs or DFA. 
The more "international crisis" his Ministry has to handle the more money he can demand from the Philippine national Budget. 
This is a very nasty guy.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.
Posted by Syed Akbar Ali 

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