Kota Kinabalu: The proposal to establish an Indian consulate in Sabah remains under consideration, says Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak) Datuk Ts. Mustapha Sakmud.
He said the matter was discussed at Cabinet level following a request from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a recent visit.
“The request came from the Prime Minister of India. As a sign of respect, we said we would consider it. There is no decision yet,” he said, Sunday.
Mustapha explained that both the State Government and the Foreign Ministry would study the necessity of setting up the consulate, particularly in light of increasing tourist arrivals from India to Sabah.
He said a consulate could facilitate travel and related matters if there is a clear need. The proposal has drawn mixed reactions, with some quarters suggesting that a Philippine consulate should instead be prioritised.
Mustapha acknowledged that the idea of a Philippine consulate had been raised earlier and said the matter could be considered if deemed necessary by both the state and federal governments.
For the record, past federal administrations had repeatedly urged the Philippine Government to set up a consulate in Sabah in view of the huge presence of Filipinos, some of who are known to destroy their documents upon arrival and then claim to be longstaying and stateless.
The Philippines never entertained the request due to the longstanding Sabah claim, which has been now debunked in the recent failed financial claim by the so-called Sulu heirs in Spain, France and the Netherlands. Sabah is also depicted in school history books there as part of Philippines.
The Philippine Embassy has also been accused of not being proactive in repatriaing nationals convicted of overstaying or being without documents in Sabah back.
This leads to a strain on Malaysian taxpayers as those rounded up or charged in court end up overcrowding the detention centres for prolonged periods.
Due to the Sabah Claim and reluctance to set up a consulate in Sabah and the fact that hundreds of them arrive by ferry every month via Sandakan, there had been calls to allow only arrivals by flight for better monitoring of their nationals here, rather than by sea.
On Friday, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs reiterated its claim to the territory of “North Borneo” and said it will coordinate the release of a new map incorporating the 2016 Arbitral Award and the 2024 Maritime Zones Act.
Mustapha responded by stating that Sabah and Sarawak agreed to be part of Malaysia in 1963 under United Nations auspices and that Malaysia’s sovereignty would be upheld.
“This is our country. We will continue to defend our sovereignty,” he said, adding that any claims would be handled prudently by the state and federal governments through the Foreign Ministry.
Earlier, Mustapha officiated a Bubur Lambuk distriburion programme in Kampung Warisan, where 10,000 packets were distributed to residents.
He also addressed the ongoing flood situation in several districts, including Kota Marudu and Tawau, saying agencies such as NADMA and the Civil Defence Force had been mobilised to assist affected communities.
He said the government was monitoring the floods closely and would improve early warning systems and information dissemination.
He said climate change and rising global temperatures have contributed to more frequent flooding not only in Sabah but worldwide.
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