Foreign Ministry: Malaysia will send a note of protest regarding Philippine laws that violate the maritime borders of Sabah

The Deputy Foreign Minister, Datuk Mohamad Alamin, stated that Malaysia is protesting the Philippines about two new maritime regulations violating Sabah’s maritime waters.

On November 8, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, which he asserted went beyond Malaysia’s 1979 New Map, which is based on international law.

Reference materials pertaining to this legislation also discussed the Philippines’ claim to Sabah, he noted.

“We will address a number of important concerns that we have finalized and thought through in our protest note.

“To show our dedication to protecting Sabah’s sovereign rights and our nation’s sovereignty, we are sending this protest note today,” he said as he concluded the Foreign Ministry’s stage discussion of the Supply Bill 2025 in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Two new maritime laws in the Philippines are reportedly an attempt to bolster Manila’s claims to control the South China Sea, which are still up for debate, according to reports in the international media.

Mohamad stated that the Foreign Ministry will receive a special allocation of RM560 million to host various Asean-related events as part of Malaysia’s Asean 2025 Chairmanship. This amount will cover costs for conference facilities, lodging for state guests and delegations, media and publicity, transportation, and other services.

He stated that the venues for Asean meetings, which will be held all over the nation, including in Sabah and Sarawak, will support the promotion of Malaysian culture and help create domestic revenue in a number of local industries, including services, hospitality, tourism, and the sale of arts and crafts.

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.