Sabah: Foreign Interference or Intervention?

I was surfing the net and came to an article published in the Asia Times. For me it is of utmost importance. As a citizen of Malaysia, I am very concern regarding this matter.

The Claim by Sulus and the Oil & Gas
Sultan Kiram III, a Muslim royal based in the Jolo island, says he will let the Americans set up bases on his land, arm and train his royal guard, and develop what he calls "one of the biggest oil deposits in the world", if they can help the Sulus recapture Sabah from Malaysia and gain independence from Manila's "colonialism".

Sultan Kiram said, 'We would prefer to be under the protection of the US government, initially, until we are trained to run by our own' while citing US treaties in 1878 and 1915 recognizing Sulu claims to Sabah, held by Malaysia since 1963.

Sulus want Sabah not only to regain an empire held from 1450 to 1878, when they "leased" it to a British merchant for weapons to fight Spaniards, and later, Americans. Sabah and the Sulu Sea seem primed as Asia's next oil belt. Sulus also want to regain Palawan island, near the Philippines' main natural-gas field.

The American Connection (Oil Connection)
Unocal, which has drilled 100 wells off Kalimantan, has probed two Sulu Sea oil fields called Rhino and Wildebeest off Sabah's Sandakan for an Arco-led consortium.

Margani Sharif Ali from a youth movement, Sulu Alliance, that is seeking a restored sultanate says 'My auntie sees oil floating up every day.' and added, 'I think that is one of the interests of our brother America.' Margani added, 'We want the United States to help us develop our oil, as long as they recognize our sovereignty'

The American Liberators
It is ironic that Sulus Muslims calling for American liberators. They claimed the Americans who uprooted the Sulu sultanate 90 years ago, are coming back to install the sultanate. The Americans are there to advance their protection of oil fields and shipping lanes. That's why the sultan of Sulu is pro-balikatan (balikatan: literally shoulder to shoulder joint Philippine exercises with US soldiers) and added that's why Malaysia is scared of the American presence there.

Malaysia Demonized
The sulus said that if the US restores the sultan, that would create a lasting peace in Mindanao. The sulus also added that 'The majority of Malaysians are Muslims, but they are not kind to us. They treat us like animals. We also don't want to be under the Manila colonial government. We would rather be a state of the US, like Hawaii."

American Hegemony over South-East Asia
Sultan Kiram said he told a US congressman in 1999 in Manila that he would let the US build a base on Sabah's Banggi Island to oversee the Spratly Islands. "If the Americans help us, we'll help them," he says. "If the US government will not help us, we'll go to China."

China's Involvement
Sultan Kiram says, top Chinese officials tried to make a deal with him involving Sabah and the Spratlys, contested by the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam.

Sultan Kiram quotes a chinese officials as saying, "Your highness, the secretary general wants to inform you, even we the officials knew it very much that Sabah is yours ... according to our forefathers, your great-great-grandfathers had already given that island (the Spratlys) as a gift to our emperor. But we are sorry but we cannot any more claim it through words because it's not accepted by the international community. If you can certify that truly your great-grandfather had already given that island ... and you sign that certification ... the Chinese government is committed to you. All our military strength, with our money, will be spent, so that Malaysia will return Sabah back to you."

The sulus still has not decided about China's offer. Their first choice is the American government.

Note: We have the Americans and the Chinese interfering in Sabah. It's about Oil and Gas and it's about Hegemony over the region.