KOTA KINABALU, Aug 5 — Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor expressed Sabah's deep gratitude for the unity government's steadfast defence of the country's sovereignty.

Hajiji thanked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for his unwavering support and for dismissing any claims made over Sabah.

“He has made Malaysia’s stand clear, which is similar to our stand all this while,” he said.

Hajiji said Sabahans chose to form Malaysia jointly through the Malaysian Agreement 1963 (MA63); therefore, any external claims against the state of Sabah will not be recognised by the people at all.

He reiterated that Sabah has always been an integral part of Malaysia and that the United Nations (UN) and the international community have recognised Sabah as part of Malaysia since the formation of the Federation of Malaysia on September 16, 1963.

Hajiji also said he fully supported Wisma Putra’s action and statement that the viral video on social media, which disputed the sovereignty of the state of Sabah, contained baseless and misleading content.

“We are confident that the Foreign Ministry will be able to investigate the matter thoroughly in cooperation with the relevant ministries and agencies,” he said.

The Philippine government and independent groups have maintained an open claim over Sabah for decades, with the dispute experiencing periodic flare-ups involving diplomatic notes, legal actions, and even armed incursions.

In 2023, the Paris Court of Appeal ruled in Malaysia’s favour, nullifying an earlier French court ruling that the Sulu heirs—now considered Philippine citizens—were owed US$15 billion for oil and gas extracted by Petronas.