Does Indonesia Also Claim Sabah Like the Philippines?

Описание: Indonesia does not have a legal claim over Sabah, but it is far from a bystander. Sitting between Kalimantan and the Sulu Sea, Sabah shapes Indonesia’s maritime boundaries, Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) calculations under UNCLOS, and broader maritime security strategy in the Celebes Sea, also known as the Sulawesi Sea. While Malaysia administers Sabah and the Philippines maintains a historical claim linked to the Sultanate of Sulu, Indonesia’s stake is strategic rather than territorial. From the legacy of the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 and Konfrontasi under Sukarno, to the 2002 International Court of Justice ruling on Sipadan and Ligitan, and the recent 2023 maritime delimitation agreement, the legal position is clear. Yet issues like INDOMALPHI trilateral patrols, Abu Sayyaf threats, cross-border insurgency, Indonesian migrant workers in Sabah, remittances, fisheries management, and ASEAN’s principle of territorial integrity show that Sabah sits firmly within Indonesia’s strategic horizon. In the Indo-Pacific corridor, sovereignty may belong to Malaysia, but security spillover, EEZ overlap, and regional stability make Indonesia a quiet but critical stakeholder
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