Malaysia opposes Philippines continental shelf claim

MANILA, Philippines — Malaysia has opposed the Philippine submission to a United Nations body to formally recognize the extent of its undersea continental shelf, saying it is projected from the baselines of Sabah.

In a note verbale to UN Secretary General António Guterres on June 27, Malaysia’s permanent mission to the United Nations said Malaysia has never recognized the Philippines’ claim to Sabah.

Malaysia requested the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf not to examine and qualify the Philippines Partial Submission.

“The Government of Malaysia categorically rejects the Philippines’ Partial Submission on the basis that the Republic of the Philippines’ continental margin is projected from the baselines of the Malaysian state of Sabah.

This clearly disregards Malaysia’s indisputable sovereignty over the state of Sabah,” the mission said.

The mission said Sabah has always been an integral part of Malaysia, and has been “recognized” by the UN and the international community as part of Malaysia since the formation of the Federation of Malaysia on Sept. 16, 1963.

It argued that the Philippines’ claim to sovereignty over Sabah is “incompatible with its erga omnes obligation to recognize and uphold the legitimate exercise of the right to self-determination by the people of Sabah in 1963.”

“The Government of Malaysia wholly rejects the claims by the Republic of the Philippines that the latter has legal ownership and sovereignty over the Malaysian state of Sabah,” the mission said.

“It is clear that the Republic of the Philippines claim to Sabah has no basis whatsoever under international law.”

The Philippines asked the UN body last month to formally recognize the extent of its undersea continental seabed in the South China Sea, where it would have the exclusive right to exploit resources.

Through the Philippine mission to the UN in New York, the Philippine government submitted information to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf on the extent of its undersea shelf in the South China Sea, off western Palawan province, after more than a decade and a half of scientific research.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) explained that