KOTA KINABALU — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has stressed that any discussions involving the Sulawesi Sea must be grounded in law and history, and that no decision should be made without the agreement of the Sabah state government and its legislative assembly.
He said the matter was also raised during his recent meeting with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, which was attended by Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
Anwar gave his assurance that not an inch of Sabah’s land or waters would be ceded or claimed by any party.
“The Federal Government will fully defend and protect Sabah’s rights, because it is part of Malaysia,” he said during the national-level Farmers, Breeders and Fishermen Day 2025 (HPPNK) celebration at the Sabah International Convention Centre on Saturday.
“In deciding on border matters, the state government must be involved — including Sabah. But that hasn’t stopped the spread of slander. I think it’s better for the Chief Minister to hear directly and give his own views.
“This concerns two countries. Indonesia is a friendly nation. President Prabowo is a personal and family friend. I want our ties to remain strong, and I hope to resolve border issues with Sarawak as well,” he added.
Anwar and Prabowo had met on Tuesday in Jakarta during the 13th Annual Consultation between Malaysia and Indonesia.
On a separate note, Anwar reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to Sabah’s development and to fulfilling the state’s claims under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) through various initiatives and allocations.
Among the resolved matters, he said, was the interim special grant for Sabah, which had been increased from RM300 million to RM600 million this year, as well as a RM10 billion allocation to complete the Sabah Pan Borneo Highway.
“The project was delayed under the previous government, but we’ve continued it under the Federal Government’s responsibility. Maybe people haven’t seen it completed yet, but at least we’ve approved it and the work packages are in progress,” he said. — August 3, 2025