KUALA LUMPUR: The government is in the midst of investigating the validity of the Sulu Agreement 1878 in lieu of the seizure bid made by the self-proclaimed heirs of the Sulu Sultanate.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said among efforts done by the special task force led by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said include checking records from archives in the Philippines and the United Kingdom.
"What's (also) important is that we need to validate whether or not these claimants are really the heirs they claim to be.
"This is what we are debating and we are also in the process of challenging the validity of the claim," he said during his winding-up speech on the 2023 Supply Bill in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Zambry said this after a question was raised by Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau (PH-Tuaran) on the government's measures to invalidate the agreement.
The Sulu Agreement 1878 refers to the agreement signed between the then Sultan of Sulu Sultan Mohamet Jamal Al Alam to grant Sabah to Alfred Dent and Baron de Overbeck for perpetual lease, including the right to profit from its minerals, forest products and animals.
In exchange, they promised to pay an annual rent of US$1,000 to the sultan.
In 1963, Malaysia was formed and its territories included Sabah. However, it continued to pay a yearly nominal rent to the heirs of the Sultan until 2013, when the payments stopped due to a military conflict.
Zambry said the demands made by the claimants were considered out of bounds, outrageous and had violated international law.
He also stressed that Malaysia will not compromise and will continue to stay committed to defending the nation's sovereignty and interest.