A majority of Filipinos everywhere are wondering what is this Sabah claim
is all about. The Philippine history books, Malaysian's probably too,
have not mentioned about the Philippines' stake on the northern part
of the island of Borneo. On the other hand, the Malaysians maybe
furious that there are a lot of attention now being focused to that
part of the Malaysian federation to which they believe was theirs
since the British handed the territory in 1963.

What we are trying here is to bring an insight to this dispute based on
our researched of the various facts (or allegations) regarding this subject.
As Filipino Americans, our main concern in bringing about this article is to
tell that part of the history of the Philippines.



Sabah,is the northern part of Borneo. It is bordered by Sarawak on its
southwestern side, and Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo) to the south.
Sabah has a coastline of approximately 800 to 900 miles and with the
South China Sea in the west and north, the Sulu Sea in the northeast
and the Celebes Sea in the east. Sabah's total land area is 76,115 sq km
(29,388 sq miles). Sabah's population is about 2.5 million. It is 1,961 km
from Hong Kong, 1,143 km from Manila, 1,495 km from Singapore, 1,678 km
from Kuala Lumpur and 2,291 km from Taipei - note that it is nearer to
Manila than Malaysia's capital of Kuala Lumpur.

North Borneo is much undeveloped and very rich in natural resources.
One of the wealthiest oil producing countries is located in same island
of Borneo, the tiny Sultanate of Brunei.

I doubt very much Phil have any claims on Sabah-- but it won't be surprising if INDONESIA have some claims on Palawan/Sulu the Phil Islamic states.. as looking at the map-- & the proximity-- those states could have been once been part of Indonesia.Remember-- Indonesia & Brunei were already established during that time period.

not the other way around.

here we go again...and i thought you're a well read person.

I am-- but I don't know anythhing about this-- just a theory-- after all Brunei & Indonesia.. were already established before Phil was,no?

don't even know why this should be an issue, frankly.

Don't claim Sabah!

If Sabah becomes part of the Philippines...

The country's territorial shape wouldn't be that special.

And we wouldn't be the sexiest looking country in the world anymore!






Ours is the only country in the world which is shaped like a hunky naked man.
And I wouldn't let any expansionists ruin that!!!!!

That is so gay

if we claimed sabah.. it may help the economy of the philippines to rise up.

Read more about the Sabah issue and you'll know that the Philippines has the rightful claim.

Not really. Philippines need more than that.

ANdres bonifacio, jose rizal etc. faught for our country parang walang saysay ung pag kamatay nila kung di rin nila nabawi ung ibang part ng pilipinas diba..

Lololololololol yah but I still love boy-on-boy p0rn and im a girl.

parang isang malaking kawalan sa mga pilipino ang sabah.. para bang takot na tako ung mga pilipino baka gerahin sila ng malaysia diba ahah

I'm NOT saying a bloody thing!

huh? indonesia wasn't even indonesia until after ww2, and brunei didn't even regain their independence till 1984.

as for sabah, goddamn topics are made at least once every six months, leave sabah alone we got enough problems of our own.

oh my comments-- was talking about pre-spain period,actually.

Know your history! Sabah was once part of the Sultanate of Sulu ! Sulu is part of the Philippines! I think someone had posted this topic several times!

it is pre-spanish. indonesia was never indonesia until the dutch east indies, the empires like sri vijaya did not encompass 'indonesia' by any lengths.

that's what you say.. Sulu is Muslim?? the likehood it was once part of indonesia & yes I use the later name-- I know it has an ancient name-- is more likely..

remember-- the spaniards were after SPICES.. certainly it's not going to b e suprising if they were trying to enroach getting Indonesia & only got as far as SUlu-- & drawing the demarcation line there..as part of Phil. As the Dutch & the Portuguese got there first.

this is where I go by.

looking at a map-- those islamic islands are so close to borneo.. only separarted by a narrow strip of water which later was named 'PHILLIPINE DEEP'.. what's more-- the spanairds named these muslims MOROS.. after the Moors..again islamic.


the key here is religion.. ISLAM as the rest of Indonesia became islamic..( I think only Bali remained Hindu) so don't discount it-- I bet those islands. where once part of Indonesia..

and why the rest of Phil became Catholic.

I always say-- follow the food (spices) & religion.

why do you keep insisting the Philippine Deep is in that part?
jezzuzzz!!!

and there was no indonesia then also!

well, haven't figured it out?? i use these names to pinpoint exactly the area I was talking about? I already mentioned this! EXACTLY FOR THE VERY REASON THERE WEREN'T ANY NAMES TO THIS PHIL DEEP..

so what's the big deal?!

there was an Indonesia except not that name-- so for lack of a better word. I use Indonesia!

on another tangent-- who says Sulu was part of Phil? THE WRETCHED SPANISH?!

same deal!

alrite, i will help you out not bcoz i luv you but just so your geography becomes right...


i managed to invert mindanao's main island so that the Philippine Deep will be right up where you want it to be, close to palawan and borneo.

thanks but can't figure out that map.

but regardless.. islam is the 'key' here I do believe. there's a reason those islands turned to islam & not mindanao, visayas, luzon.
from what Iwas reading & on STORY OF INDIA series I just watched.. it explained how islam got to those parts. I want to buy this set.( as there's so much to absorb & learn--- I was always curious about this). with Michael Wood. another enthusiastic historian.. been watching him since UK. this will give Clue.. Sulu used to part of those islands aka Indo. I bet sulu was even doing the trade route with them.

funny, after awhile reading history-- it never fails-- when stuck?? follow the food & religion. how it spreads.. major key.

I find religion always played a major part in the development of civilization-- cities were built for this.. even before Christianity. One famous Pharoah moved his capital & built a major city for his 'sun god'..

The Sultanate of Sulu was granted the territory as a prize for helping the Sultan of Brunei against his enemies and from then on that part of Borneo is recognized as part of the Sultan of Sulu's sovereignty.

Paulit-ulit na itong topic na ito....

yeah, this may be true-- but did the Spaniards know when they laid claim to Sulu?!

remember-- these empire builders Couldn't care about these things.

why do you think we have so much political turmoil today?? effects from so much meddling from centuries ago.