Sabah leaders demand explanation from PM over Ambalat joint development deal

SENIOR Sabah leaders are demanding clarity from the Federal Government after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s visit to Jakarta sparked concerns that Malaysia has agreed to jointly develop the disputed Ambalat oil block with Indonesia.

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan said the Prime Minister “owes Sabah an explanation” for what appears to be a unilateral move on a resource-rich maritime zone that borders the state’s eastern waters.

“I am disappointed to learn that this is happening.

“If this decision was truly made without consulting Sabah, then it is not good. It is another way of bypassing our rights,” he said.

He said he would raise the issue in Parliament and seek formal clarification from the Prime Minister.

Jeffrey’s remarks came after it was reported that both countries had agreed in principle to jointly explore oil and gas resources in the Ambalat zone.

Former Chief Minister Yong Teck Lee warned that the Federal Government may be repeating past mistakes—referencing the controversial 2009 deal over Blocks L and M, in which Malaysia reportedly surrendered rights to Brunei without consulting Sabah.

“It would be fundamentally detrimental to Sabah if Malaysia now signs away sovereignty, even on a joint venture basis,” Yong said. “What happens when Sabah and Sarawak regain full control over their continental shelf and territorial waters under Malaysian law?”

Yong reminded federal authorities that the constitutionality of the 2012 Territorial Sea Act—which limits state control to three nautical miles—is still being challenged in court. He added that any deal affecting Sabah’s maritime boundary should first be debated in Parliament and the Sabah Legislative Assembly.

Malaysia’s sovereignty over nearby Ligitan and Sipadan islands, he said, was already recognised in the 2002 International Court of Justice ruling. Ambalat, however, was not included in that case, leaving the maritime boundary unresolved.

Meanwhile, Warisan information chief Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman said any bilateral deal involving Ambalat without Sabah’s explicit consent would violate the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and amount to “a betrayal”.

“Any changes to Sabah’s maritime boundaries cannot be done unilaterally by the Federal Government.

“Such decisions must receive the approval of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly,” he said.

Azis noted that part of the Ambalat area falls within maritime boundaries recognised before Malaysia’s formation.

He said the Federal Government has no absolute right to negotiate away such claims without involving Sabah.

He questioned whether the reported “mutual understanding” between Malaysia and Indonesia had ever been brought to the attention of the Sabah government or lawmakers.

“If the reports by Indonesian and international media are inaccurate, then the Foreign Ministry must issue a correction.

“Otherwise, it risks damaging diplomatic relations and undermining Sabah’s sovereignty,” he said.

Azis stressed that Sabahans support diplomacy and peaceful resolution of disputes—but not at the expense of legal and constitutional safeguards under MA63.

“Unilateral action without the consent of Sabah’s legislature constitutes a contract breach under the Malaysia Agreement.

“That carries far more serious implications for the future of our federation,” he said. – July 2, 2025