KOTA KINABALU: Malaysia must use its maximum diplomatic and political muscle to counter two new Philippines maritime laws.
Sabah Progressive Party president Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee said that both laws could infringe on Sabah's Continental Shelf under UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea).
He was referring to the fact that the Philippines has just passed two new laws aimed at claiming territorial seas.
The laws, called the Philippine Maritime Zones Act (Republic Act 12064) and the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act (RA 12065), were signed into law by the Philippine President two days ago.
"Sabah's maritime territorial rights have been established since at least 1954 under the United Kingdom's Order in Council. At that time, there was never any dispute over Sabah's (then North Borneo) maritime territory, certainly not from the Philippines.
"It is odd that the Philippines has only now, belatedly, perhaps as an afterthought rather than a historical fact, taken legislative actions to claim new maritime territories," he said in a statement.
The former Chief Minister also said that the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act purportedly seeks to regulate sea lanes at the Balabac Strait, bordering Sabah's Kudat/Banggi and the Celebes or Sulu maritime area on Sabah's east coast.
"Urgent clarification is needed to ensure that the Philippine authorities are not attempting to encroach upon Sabah's territorial sea lanes," he added.