KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has rebuked those still questioning the state’s sovereignty and status within Malaysia, reiterating that its ‘life and death is tied to our country, Malaysia’.
He said Sabah had been part of Malaysia for 61 years since Sept 16, 1963, so the claims on the state should not be raised anymore, especially by those in the neighbouring country.
Hajiji asserted that Sabah does not acknowledge any claims on the state, nor does it recognise any groups staking the claim.
He spoke to reporters after presenting the 35th Sabah Excellence Scholarship Awards here today, attended by state Science, Technology, and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif and Yayasan Sabah director Datuk Seri Ghulam Haidar Khan Bahadar.
On July 29, the Foreign Ministry reiterated the government’s long-standing position that Sabah has always been an integral part of Malaysia, adding that the government has never and will not recognise any claims on the state.
The ministry issued the statement in response to a video circulating on social media containing baseless and misleading content questioning the sovereignty of Sabah as an integral part of the country.
