2021: Re-visiting Sabah's very basic history

 

"PAJAK" IN 1878 SABAH LEASE IS REALLY THE BONE OF CONTENTION; DOCUMENT FROM THE BRITISH COLONIAL OFFICE IN LONDON DATED 1ST NOV 1962 PROVES IT

"PAJAK" HAS BEEN THE BONE OF CONTENTION; ANOTHER DOCUMENT WHICH IS A LETTER FROM THE BRITISH COLONIAL OFFICE IN LONDON DATED 1ST NOV 1962

NOTE: This document is about the thorny word "Pajak" that was used in the translation of the Sabah lease agreement between the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo and the private foreign businessmen; note that even Tunku Abdul Rahman himself, "father of the Malaysia Federation," referred to "pajak" in the Sabah lease agreement of 1878 as "rent" but the officials of Kuala Lumpur tried to turn around the damage created by Tunku Abdul Rahman's announcement by insisting that the lease was a definitive cession. We are re-posting it to accompany the document unearthed (shown alongside pink-coloured document) in the British Foreign Office that we posted earlier on.

NB: Transcription of letter (for easier reading) is mine hence any and all errors of transcription are mine. ~~ Blog Administrator

 ~~~~~O~~~~~

CONFIDENTIAL

COLONIAL OFFICE
GREAT SMITH STREET, LONDON S.W.1
Telephone: [...] 1266 Ext.
1st November 1962

Dear [......]

                        In connection with the alleged Philippine "claim" to North Borneo there is one point on which we should be grateful for Kuala Lumpur's confidential advice.

                        In paragraph 1, of Kuala Lumpur telegram to Commonwealth Relations Office No. 625 of the 3rd September in connections with conversations with Ghangli and Ngah about the Tunku's unfortunate reference to a "lease" Ghangli is reported as saying that the Malay word used by the Tunku was "srwa" i.e. "lease" or "rent" and Ngah is reported as saying that he thought "pajak" and "pajakan" nowadays meant the same thing though originally they meant more as the Tunku with his knowledge of Kedah and Penang would realise ..........

                       As pajak" is the word in the Deed of Cession of 1878 from which all our present troubles appear to stem because of its alternative translations as "grant and cede" and "lease" we were most interested in Ngeh's remark and we should be grateful if Kuala Lumpur's advice could be sought on the original meaning of the malay words "pajak" and pajakan". This original meaning may perhaps be very helpful to us.

                      I am sending a copy of this letter to Cable.

Yours,

(signed) 

W.S. Carter

[Letter addressed to] D.C.R. RODCLIFF [???], ESQ.,
             Commonwealth Relations Office
                          Downing Street,
                               London, S.W.1.

  ~~~~~O~~~~~

 
NOTA BENE: The Philippine Sabah Claim Forum is grateful to HM Sultan Muedzul-Lail Tan Kiram for allowing us to avail of documents in his possession pertaining to PH Sabah claim.

 ~~~~~O~~~~~

Related post:
GOOD NEWS RE NORTH BORNEO/SABAH QUESTION ON THE FIRST DAY OF 2016

NORTH BORNEO/SABAH QUESTION - GOOD NEWS ON THE FIRST DAY OF 2016

GOOD NEWS RE NORTH BORNEO/SABAH QUESTION ON THE FIRST DAY OF 2016: 
We have just received the file (shown) from the Royal Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo which was unearthed in the British Foreign Office by the London-based Chancellor of HM Sultan Muedzul Lail T Kiram of the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo (Sabah)... we will communicate the contents as soon as we receive all the copies of the file. It contains a full record of the 'concessions' pertaining to 'pajak' (lease) agreement in North Borneo made by the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo in the 19th century.
.

NB: JUST SO ALL MAY KNOW -- This is about gathering evidence to reinforce the claim of the Republic. It is about the arduous task of assembling documents that will help the Republic reinforce its claim. People are working hard free of charge to do this, spending their own money, time, effort to help gather evidence that will help reinforce the claim of the Republic. The people behind these arduous and painstaking tasks seek no glory nor recompense, financial or otherwise and will refuse any if offered... and we personally make a pledge that we refuse and will refuse any reward, award of WHATEVER NATURE if ever offered to us ... This is all being done for the glory of the Republic! ~~ Defenders of Philippine Sovereignty administrators

 

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2016!

Philippine Senatorial Election 2016: "Ang Aking Paninindigan" ~Rafael Alunan III

Poster courtesy of  Fred Amores of the  
Defenders of Philippine Sabah & Spratly Claims community

Rafael M. Alunan III, who has actually retired from government service to return to private sector, has come back from retirement to do national service and will run for senator in the Philippine senatorial election which will be held in May 2016.  During the last few years, the country has experienced real danger to its existence as the Republic, the Filipino people, the nation's institutions and the country's territorial integrity have been under assault internally and externally. Without a shadow of doubt, Alunan, a most fearless critic of the corrupt and the inept in government, a tireless advocate for good governance across the board, has now emerged as the strongest champion of national cohesion for the Philippine Republic. The country needs Alunan! FORMA - Friends of Rafael Alunan III organisation has endorsed Rafael Alunan III for senator 2016. ~~ Blog Administrator


 
Philippine Senatorial Election 2016: "Ang aking paninindigan" ~~ Rafael Alunan III

 
By Rafael M. Alunan III
23 December 2015

 
Ang aking mga pinaninindigan. Ulitin ko para maintidihan.

1. One Country. One Constitution. One Flag. Kung ipapasa ang BBL version na tinutulak ng isang paksyon ng MILF na kaugnay ng pamalaang Noynoy Aquino, magkakagulo lamang dahil sa daming mali sa pag-iisip, pag-sasalita at pag-gagawa.

2. Tsina. Ang imperialist policy ng Tsina ay ang kinakalaban natin. Gustong sakupin ng Tsina ang buong South China Sea, kasama na dyan ang ating Exclusive Economic Zone na saan tayo nangingisda at may laman na oil at gas reserves, na walang pinagbabasehan sa international law or historical basis. Kailangan nating patibayin ang ating national defense - internal at external -(economic, cyber, information, legal, diplomatc, law enforcement, intelligence, armed forces) para magkaroon tayo unti unti ng credible deterrence.

3. Poverty. Kailangan natin mabawasan ang kahirapan sa pamamagitan ng agri-aqua development, eco- at agro-tourism, manufacturing at serbisyo para sa kalahatang Pilipino at sa mundo. Kailangan ma-reunite natin ang mga pamilya na separado dahil sa diaspora. Reuniting them is key to national unity, transformation and development.

4. Good government. Ang pamahalaan ay dapat maging matino at mahusay. Honest and competent. Ito ang hinihintay ng lipunan, isang pamahalaan that does the right things and does things the right way, out of habit. Ngunit may isang kolatilya na dapat natin ma-intidihan. A society gets a government it deserves, kaya't ang sambayanan ay dapat maging matino at mahusay din para makamtan ang kanilang pangarap.

Tama po ba? Kaya ba natin ito?

NB: Paano mag-padala ng "abuloy": Mga kaibigan, maraming nagtatanong kung saan nila ipapadala ang kanilang abuloy (jejeje) para sa aking kandidatura sa Senado.

1.) For the account of Rafael M. Alunan III, Banco de Oro Quezon Avenue - West Triangle Branch.

• PHPeso account: 000 270 141 766
• USDollar account: 100 270 142 150
• EURO account: 300 270 120 203

2.) Paypal instructions

Go to Paypal website. Click "Send" on top of the screen. Click on raffyalunan2016@gmail.com then enter the amount and currency.

Para malinaw sa lahat, ito'y para lang sa mga Pilipino na ibig tumulong sa akin, nasaan man sila sa ating bayan o sa mundo. Kung anong matatanggap dito, yan din ang basehan ng aking report sa Comelec.

Maraming salamat po.


~~~~O~~~~
 

RELATED ARTICLE: WHO AM I? I am Rafael “Raffy” Alunan III. I am a Filipino. 

Who am I?
By Rafael Alunan III
02 September 2015

I wrote this for those who don’t know, or don’t know enough of me, because I’ve been asked to consider returning to public life.

I am a Filipino. Also a Negrense, Ilonggo and Kapampangan; partly Spanish, French and Chinese; and, anecdotally, part Yemeni via Borneo. In other words, a genuine “askal.”

Here’s my fact sheet:

    · grew up in Bacolod and spent my vacations in Baguio. From my college years till now, I’ve lived mostly in Quezon City.

    · worked mainly for large corporations in an executive capacity; in non-profit organizations; and for myself as an entrepreneur.

    · served in the cabinets of two presidents, Cory Aquino and Fidel Ramos, to head the Department of Tourism and the Department of Interior and Local Government, respectively.

    · experienced life-threatening emergencies on land, in the air and at sea, and survived powerful natural phenomena that shaped my mindset for risk reduction and crisis management.

    · worked for peace that brought me to comprehend our history of exclusion, deprivation, entitlement, impunity, injustice and conflict.

    · been to rebel territory to bring the message of peace and, at times, to danger zones.

    · tackled crime and corruption with legal offensives; and came to grips with foreign terrorists to help save lives.

    · seen poverty up close – Metro Manila’s slums; the rural, coastal and upland poor of ARMM, Samar, Negros and the Cordilleras.

    · tackled poverty through peace and order campaigns in consonance with the principle that peace precedes sustained development.

    · fought the dictatorship to seek justice for its victims of repression; reclaim the future; restore freedom; and, later, defended it when it was threatened.

    In time I got to understand geopolitical issues; the importance of interdependence; and what it takes to build a nation.

In 67 years of existence, I’ve been tried by fire and tested by time. My mission is to serve, to matter and, hopefully, make a real difference in people’s lives.

Public service came at a great cost. During those years, I endured virtual separation from my family. Much of my time was spent at work including weekends and holidays.

The family hardly felt my presence. My wife was alone to rear our children. Thank God, my mother, a widow, helped us selflessly. It was a tough time.

Government’s compensation was modest and not enough to meet my family’s needs. I left it poorer than before I began. My peers were far better off upon my return to private life.

Giving back to society in gratitude for all the help received is what I do today - sharing lessons learned; investing in education; and assisting disaster victims, youth at risk and poor communities.

I serve freely; don’t count the hours; and strive to walk my talk by living up to the values I’ve learned.

I’m a Catholic with an ecumenical outlook; a centrist that moves from left to right of center depending on the issue and circumstances; and a democrat with a firm hand.

I deeply value my acceptance by indigenous tribes in the Cordillera and Sierra Madre, and conferment as a datu and sultan in Mindanao.

I belong as well to the military community - PMA Class of 1974, PNP-Special Action Force, and the Special Forces Regiment (Airborne) and First Scout Ranger Regiment of the Philippine Army
.
I hold the rank of Colonel in the Armed Forces and commanded two (2) Army Infantry Reserve Divisions.

Through their veins run the DNA and saga of the Filipino nation, and I’m both proud and humbled to be brought into their circles.

National security, ranging from human and ecological security to civil and national defense, is close to my heart. Today it is at risk.

Duty calls us to run to Inang Laya’s defense, but we also welcome the help of our economic partners and security allies as we patiently build credible deterrence.

If we are to win the future, we must first strive together to place “country above self” to have a peaceful, prosperous and progressive nation with no one left behind.

We mustn’t be deflated by our continuing failure to make things right, when we’ve already shown in the past that we can. Instead, we must demand results.

We should overcome our apathy; the lack of vision, purpose, discipline and foresight; garbage; traffic; street crime, drugs, poverty, systemic corruption; and the lack of critical thinking.

There are solutions for those problems that ache to be implemented. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel.

To lay the groundwork for change and conclude unfinished business, we need to:

    · regain our moral moorings and reinvent the way we think and behave.
    · generate new wealth while spending wisely.
    · adequately secure ourselves from internal and external threats.
    · amend the constitution to grow a balanced economy, reduce poverty and reverse the diaspora.
    · right-size, professionalize and modernize the bureaucracy.
    · defeat crime, injustice and corruption in high and low places.
    · fortify peacemaking with good governance, firm law enforcement and human development.
    · restore national pride.

That said, will I seek elective office in 2016?

So far, my heart says YES; and dream of being carried to victory on the shoulders of those sectors who I’ve journeyed with.

But my head says NO because the current political culture militates against people like me. I am not “popular”, rich and “flexible.”

Building a national base for new politics takes time in terms of advocacy and organization-building based on integrity, service and merit.

The majority of voters –mainly the youth, D and E segments – who, most of all, need a better and secure life, don’t know who I am.

And, so far, there is no antidote to electoral cheating by PCOS and corrupt gatekeepers that has serially thwarted the people’s choices.

These formidable obstacles must be surmounted to clear the way for honest elections.

Thus, if and when circumstances allow, I will be ready to serve the nation again in a capacity that matches my experience.

I am Rafael “Raffy” Alunan III. I am a Filipino.

Mabuhay and God bless!

P.S. I was lucky to receive a La Sallian education and have Jesuits as spiritual guides. Superb combination!

~~~~O~~~~ 

To know more about what Raffy Alunan is thinking, please go to YouTube; then type "Raffy Alunan Thinking Out Loud." Click on playlists. Click on link to videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAg4DftxGsRR-_L9Am-08cw/videos. Select full documentary and the appropriate segment. ~~ Blog Admin.

For instance, know more about Raffy Alunan's thoughts about the tragic end of the SAF 44 on You Tube.

ISIS terror threat is no excuse to partition Mindanao through Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL)

"Senator Letty Shahani, who has become a staunch proponent of BBL,   acknowledged that there is a radicalization of ISIS in the world and the Philippines is a good candidate for that radicalization. She also said that the Philippines "as a nation should think of unity and un-division." Actually, I don't see the logic of her statements. Does she mean "preemptive surrender" to deter radicalization of the people of the Philippines and so Ph should sign away parts of Mindanao through BBL?"               

By Marlene Damolo Howe
For the Philippine Sabah Claim Forum
December 4, 2015

“How do you defeat terrorism? Don’t be terrorized.” ~~ Salman Rushdie

"The highest patriotism is not a blind acceptance of official policy, but a love of one's country deep enough to call her to a higher plain." ~~ George McGovern

NATIONAL PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE (PANATANG MAKABAYAN - original version)

I love the Philippines.
It is the land of my birth;
It is the home of my people.
It protects me and helps me to be strong, happy and useful.
In return, I will heed the counsel of my parents;
I will obey the rules of my school;
I will perform the duties of a patriotic, law-abiding citizen;
I will serve my country unselfishly and faithfully
I will be a true Filipino in thought, in word, in deed.

 I just recited this pledge out loud and tears were running down my cheeks. I used to recite this growing up. The words touched the inner core of my heart. Do we have anymore PATRIOTS in the government who will do what's right for Inang Bayan? 

"Sa manululupig di ka pasisiil." Ang mamatay ng dahil sa iyo." These are the two lines of our national anthem (Lupang Hinirang) that Filipinos have sung countless of times since grade school. But many of us have forgotten the meaning of these lines and have become self-serving. We have lost our purpose and have forgotten our duties as good citizens. Many of us have become apathetic and complacent and many have lost their moral compass. Power and money are the main essence of politics in the Philippines. Politicians spend lots of money to buy votes. 

People sell their vote or voting for their celebrity idols that are unqualified and clueless what the job entails. Many would sell the country if they have to for their own benefit. It's time for change for the better! CHANGE STARTS FROM WITHIN IN EACH AND EVERY FILIPINO. STOP THE APATHY AND COMPLACENCY. VOTE FOR QUALIFIED CANDIDATES WITH GOOD MORAL CHARACTER EVEN IF THEIR NAMES ARE NOT WELL-KNOWN TO YOU. STOP VOTING FOR THE SAME INUTILE TRAPOS WHO ARE ALREADY KNOWN CORRUPT. DO IT FOR THE COUNTRY AND FOR THE PEOPLE.

I am personally heartbroken over the news Global terrorism highlights need to pass Bangsamoro bill. The Philippines is prone to threats like ISIS, says former senator Leticia Ramos ~~ Shahani and so disappointed in former Senators Aquilino "Nene" Pimentel and Leticia "Letty" Ramos-Shahani. In fact, if you notice in our welcome statement in the Philippine Sabah Claim Forum (PSCF), you will see that we go by Senator Nene Pimentel's tenet. They were the epitome of good and honest lawmakers who would only do what's best for the country and people; by the people, for the people and of the people. So what gives? 

Well, according to the article: Global terrorism highlights need to pass Bangsamoro bill. The Philippines is prone to threats like ISIS, says former senator Leticia Ramos ~~ Shahani -- it's about their FEAR OF TERRORISM. So they are now FOR the passage of BBL the way it is. The report said that The Shahani-Pimentel group "called for the passage of the BBL, which both the House and the Senate promised to pass by December 16", and this, despite a potential lack of quorum! Now, that is simply unbelievable! That would be reaking the rules in Congress.

Senator Letty Shahani, who has now become a strong proponent of BBL, acknowledged that there is a radicalization of ISIS in the world and that the Philippines is a good candidate for that radicalization. She also said that the Philippines "as a nation should think of unity and un-division." Actually, I don't see where the logic of her statements. Does she mean "preemptive surrender" to deter radicalization of the people of the Philippines and so PH should sign away parts of Mindanao through BBL?

Whatever happened to "Sa manlulupig, di ka pasisiil/Ang mamatay ng dahil sa iyo?" Should we just roll over and play dead before ISIS turn our people into "Jihadists?" If she talked about "unity and un-division," she should call for ALL FILIPINOS TO BE UNITED IN DEFENDING THE COUNTRY AND NOT JUST SURRENDER WITHOUT A FIGHT. 

Senator Shahani also said that the passage of BBL "will show the political will of the Filipinos who are Christians by religion, that we are one with our Muslim brothers and sisters." We are ALL Filipinos regardless of religion! And if they really want to pass an autonomous Mindanao, go back to the negotiating table and renegotiate the deal TO INCLUDE ALL LUMADS AND MUSLIM FACTIONS. That is UNITY and fair consideration.

Let me be clear in my position on this subject, first and foremost. I am for PEACE but I am also for my beloved Philippines and Sabah! It does not take rocket science to see that BBL gives Inang Bayan the shorter end of the bargain that dismembers the country. Should MILF succeed in obtaining their sub-state, Bangsamoro under their control would become a 'buffer zone' for Malaysia against the Philippines. ..... 

Malaysia will ultimately have de facto control of MILF's Bangsamoro state that includes Palawan -- and will rape its natural resources like it did to Sabah. This has been Malaysia's plan in the making for the past fifty years as it tries its best to outwit and outplay our leaders through bribery and by sowing chaos in our own land -- making us fight among each other. After MILF's BBL, which faction will go next to demand their own BBL? Maybe the MNLF? The BIFF? The Abbu Sayyaf? The Lumads? There's not enough land in Mindanao to be had so they will expand their claim to the Visayas and then Luzon and then the Philippines as a country will cease to exist.

In early 2013 after President Aquino signed a peace agreement with Malaysia-sponsored MILF: the Sultanate of Sulu marched into Sabah (in February 2013) to assert their right to the land before the GPH-MILF Framework Agreement was to take effect. The Sabah stand-off ensued. There is no doubt that the claim to Sabah by the Philippines and the Sultanate of Sulu will be lost forever if Aquino's BBL (Bangsamoro Basic Law) project is ratified by the Philippine legislature. 

This is what has inspired Malaysia, its ulterior motive in being nice to the Philippine politicians, both in elected and appointed capacities. So is this what you call PEACE? How can you call BBL "peace" when it did not even include other factions in the peace talks' equation? It's only peace for MILF and its supporters. Do we really expect other factions like the MNLF to submit to MILF-controlled Bangsamoro state which had actually sprung from the MNLF, the original rebel group?

This is exactly my point! THERE WILL BE NO PEACE IN MINDANAO IF ONLY ONE FACTION IS CONSIDERED IN THE PEACE PROCESS BROKERED BY THE SAME COUNTRY THAT STOLE SABAH FROM US!  To think otherwise, is naive and selfish because this is NOT what's good for our country and people.
 

We already have ARMM (Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao) for our Muslim kababayans in the region which was created under the constitutional protectorate of the Republic. So why BBL? To do so is a sell out to Malaysia because, eventually, they will secede. MILF's not to secede doesn't hold water. Look at what Malaysia is doing to Sabah. Malaysia will not return Sabah because the state is Malaysia's cash cow that funds the Petronas, the Malaysia Federation Corporation that sucks all of Sabah's oil for Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia will do the same to President Aquino's Bangsamoro state should MILF gets its way.

Another point to consider is also MILF's desire to impose Sharia Law. This is DEFINITELY NOT GOOD and NOT FAIR to our Muslim sisters who will be treated as properties instead of equals. Most of us have seen on the news how ISIS stoned a woman to death because of adultery. They threw two gay men off a building because they were gay. They executed 13 teenagers by firing squad using machine guns for watching soccer on TV because it's supposed to be a violation of the Sharia Law. In this case, I assume that TV will then be banned from every household in the future Bangsamoro under Sharia Law.
 
Personally, the only thing I like about the Sharia Law is the cutting off of the hand of a thief as punishment for a first offense and the other for a second offense. I do think we should impose this law upon our corrupt lawmakers. But those in power certainly do not have any problem watching TV themselves and using social media to advance their agenda. How is it fair to our Muslim women and to those who don't fit in a region that is ruled by Sharia Law?


Note: The posters herein are not mine except for the photo of myself. They were lifted from PSCF where they were posted by members.


~~~~O~~~~

Marlene Howe is co-Founder and Administrator of the Philippine Sabah Claim Forum and of the Defenders of Philippine Sabah and Spratly Claims community as well as an administrator of this blog. Ms. Howe is US based but keeps a home in the Philippines.

~~~~O~~~~
REPORT: Global terrorism highlights need to pass Bangsamoro bill. The Philippines is prone to threats like ISIS, says former senator Leticia Ramos ~~ Shahani  

MANILA, Philippines – The recent terrorist attacks in Paris and other parts of the world highlight the importance of passing the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) soonest, a former senator said.

Former senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani made the statement in a news briefing after a meeting of BBL advocates with Speaker Feliciano Belmonte and other lawmakers on Tuesday, December 1. Her group urged the House of Representatives to pass the proposed measure.

"There is indeed a radicalization of ISIS in the world. [And] the Philippines is a very good candidate for that radicalization," Shahani said in the news briefing. 

Also noting the migrant crisis in Europe, the former senator said that the Philippines "as a nation should think of unity and undivision." 

"I think the passage of the BBL will show the political will of the Filipinos – who are Christians by religion – that we are one with our Muslim brothers and sisters in making one nation," she said. 

Shahani and her fellow BBL advocates, former senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr and 1986 Constitutional Commission chairman Christian Monsod, met with Belmonte on Tuesday. Known BBL critic BUHAY party-list Representative Lito Atienza was also at the meeting.

The group called for the passage of the BBL, which both the House and the Senate promised to pass by December 16. 

Rule on quorum The advocates cited one obstacle to deliberations on the BBL – the strict rule on quorum. The lack of quorum has been cited as a major hurdle in discussion of the bill in the plenary. 

But Atienza remained firm on the House rule, saying that they are not changing their position. "If there is no quorum, we cannot tackle BBL," he said in Filipino. 

Pimentel said his group does "not expect the House to just disregard the rules" but argued that there are "higher objectives" to exempt the BBL discussions from the rule on quorum. 

"Why cannot it be accepted as an exception to the general requirement because of the higher objectives in the search for peace in Mindanao? Because otherwise, more lives will be lost," the former senator said. With less than 10 sessions left before Christmas break, there are concerns that Congress would not meet its deadline. 

But Pimentel wanted to remain positive, as further delay in the passage of the measure would mean a major setback for peace efforts in Mindanao. 

"What we would like to see actually is that the BBL will get through the process of Congress at this particular session, before the Christmas break. Anything beyond that will push the peace efforts backwards and we'll be back to square one all over again." 

Despite the dimming possibility of the bill's passage, Belmonte told Rappler in a text message that they still assured the supporters they "are trying their best to pass it." – Rappler.com

Posted 16 hours ago by Lioness of Sabah

SABAH CLAIM REFRAIN: "BLAME SOMEONE ELSE BUT NOT ME"

"When Malaya's Tunku Abdul Rahman went to Sabah before the Sabah referendum in 1962 to talk to the elders of North Borneo (Sabah), why did not the Philippines and its Government do the same to organise a campaign in situ to get the Sabahans on side? Why didn't they do it?


 
By Anne de Bretagne
For the Philippine Sabah Claim Forum
for the Defenders of the Philippine Sabah & Spratly Claims
and for Sabah Claim Society
23 August 2015


Now, is "blame someone else but me" a distinct Filipino character trait? I'm beginning to think it is! 

For the last few years, the usual refrain when people discuss the Sabah claim issue is to blame the British for the situation the Philippines finds itself in with regard to its stale claim on Sabah. Well, well...

Alright, let's deal with it and throw the Framework Agreement, the BBL, the entire immobile Sabah claim, the Sultanate of Sulu bickering (nearly fratricidal crap, etc, etc) and include with them the kitchen sink at the British. 

I agree the British 'created the problem' as many people, who have just recently discovered the North Borneo (Sabah) conundrum, have been spewing all over the place.  But here's what: these Filipinos must understand and admit once and for all that the Philippines contributed largely to that decision that created the problem (and continues to contribute unequivocally to the problem TODAY).

But let's be fair and be a bit more clever about things. It's nice to have a punching bag or to have a butt of "sisi" (much like Noynoy aka as Boy Sisi), in this case, the British, but we must ascertain that the Philippines, its leaders and its people aren't at  fault either before we cast blame or "sisi" all around. Anyway, if we want to cast "sisi" all around, here are some real reasons for you to go and do all the "sisi" you want:

(1) At the time, i.e., early 60s, Senator Jovi Salonga was working so hard negotiating with the Brits, your/our own countryman, Senator Lorenzo Sumulong, a flamboyant ex-diplomat to the UN (who happens to be the grand uncle of current PH president, Noynoy Aquino), was going all over the place, attacking and casting vitriolic heaps of acid via the PH Senate pulpit to whip PH Govt and its Sabah claim to extinction. 

He sold the PH claim to Tunku Adul Rahman, then Malaysia's Prime Minister by acting as the soon-to-be-created Malaysia Federation's attack dog against the Government of the Philippines and its claim to Sabah. It wouldn't surprise me therefore, that like the big powers at the time, the Brits took this all-Philippine treasonous approach to the Sabah claim, happening in one of the highest echelons of power, as an excuse to say, "Bloody hell! You people don't know what you want? Well, I'll decide for you!" (Let's not beat around the bush, it was an all-Filipino treason game which must have greatly amused the Brits and the Malayans!) 

(2) Furthermore, if blame has to be cast all around, let's not look far away.... Our own masters and commanders at the time, the great United States of America, did not lift a finger, did not do anything at all to help us convince the British to allow the Sultanate of Sulu to have it back in 1962. On the contrary, the Americans not only did not pay even scant attention to this issue but also discouraged us from tackling the Sabah issue (check out records from as far back as 1957). And one would have thought that as our greatest allies, they would see our way. But heck, no...just didn't happen, but you don't see me around blaming the Americans, now, do you? (Fast forward... In 1967 or 68, it was America that alerted Britain that Marcos was on a "war path" and so what happened? Britain tried to show force by landing fighter aircraft on our own soil. Did America say anything? Nope! Not a word! They were in cahoots with the UK!)

(3) One important element: When Malaya's Tunku Abdul Rahman went to Sabah before the Sabah referendum in 1962 to talk to the elders of North Borneo (Sabah), why did not the Philippines do the same to organise a campaign in situ to get the Sabahans on side? Why?

The Philippine Government was well aware of what was going to happen but did not lift a finger, did not do anything and instead, LEFT EVERYTHING TO FATE as in "Bahala na!" The Government at the time just sat on its big fat ass while the other party, the Malayans led by Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman, were going at things hammer and tong right in the heart of Sabah to convince the Sabahans to join the soon-to-be created Malaysia Federation. TOTAL PHILIPPINE INERTIA! PH Govt just didn't go the extra mile even if it meant saving Sabah claim's own skin for God and country. Parbleu! And you think we are not to blame?

And I can recite a long series of other "blames" but I won't. I'll stop at those because they should be enough to enlighten you.

So, lets be a bit more clever about this, shall we? Because we can't just be making "sisi" all around like Noynoy does today when things go wrong and believe that it's everybody else's fault but ours! If you really want to know, we were as much to blame for being generally do-lally about the claim. 

This "sisi" doctrine seems to be deeply embedded in our psyche but let's get over it and move on!

Let's not allow classic INERTIA (Bahala na!) to overcome us just because it makes us feel better to  whine consistently and to look back to the past to blame the British for all that has gone badly with Sabah (of which, I must remind Filipinos, are also largely, hugely responsible for, anyway) and let this politics of blame stop at the water's edge! Instead, FIND SOLUTIONS TO HOW TO GET THE BLASTED SABAH BACK or at the very least, find solutions not to allow this country to be partitioned by radicals, zealots, fanatics, secessionists, Malaysian warriors by proxy in the southern Philippines with the treasonous complicity -- again of Govt officials, elected and appointed!

Blaming the Brits for the Sabah debacle ad vitam eternam is not going to help achieve what many Filipinos want, i.e., get Sabah back. 

~~~~O~~~~