PENAMPANG: Upko secretary general Datuk Donald P. Mojuntin said the statement made by the former Philippine Senate president Aquilino Pimental Jr regarding his intended proposal for the inclusion of Sabah as 13th Filipino state in the country’s shift to a federal system of government, not surprisingly, had exacerbated the concerns and worries over the unresolved Philippine claim over Sabah.

“It continues to beg the question whether our federal and state government are giving priority to this issue. Now that the new respective federal and state government have taken over from the previous one, it is fervently hoped that this issue is attended to with more focus on a resolution.

“We do realise the issue involves international relations and complex legal issues but to leave it hanging as it is will be detrimental to the sovereignty of Sabah and indeed, Malaysia.

“The Philippine government is glaringly flaunting its claim over Sabah in the international arena. Malaysia and Sabah should be seen and heard to be vehemently objecting to it,” Mojuntin said.

“It is already bad enough that Sabah has persistent problems relating to illegal immigrants in the state and coming into the state.

“Despite the deportations, these problems persist and the presence of illegal immigrants in Sabah continues to be in a worrying number.

“With this fact in the background, can anyone blame Sabahans for reacting negatively to this latest episode of the Philippines acting as if Sabah is part of their territory?”