Here is a report from The Straits Times, Singapore on the Limbang territorial claim by Brunei.
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Brunei has denied claims that the sultanate and Malaysia had resolved their territorial dispute over Limbang in Sarawak.
Brunei’s Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Pehin Dato Lim Jock Seng, on Tuesday set the record straight by denying there was any discussion on Limbang during talks on Monday between Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, the Borneo Bulletin reported yesterday.
“In actual fact, the claim on Limbang was never discussed. What was discussed was the demarcation of land boundaries on the whole,” Lim said in response to a question at the Legislative Council session.
He said a joint press statement issued on Tuesday mentioned that the demarcation of the land boundaries would be resolved on the basis of five existing historical agreements between Brunei and Sarawak.
“After that, a working group comprising general surveyors of the two countries will follow with the technical aspect to solve the land border issue.”
Malaysian media had widely reported Abdullah as saying that Brunei had dropped its claim on Limbang. The Limbang dispute can be traced back to the cession of the territory by Brunei to Sarawak’s White Rajahs in 1890. The cession had been strongly disputed by the sultanate, which regarded the transfer as annexation by Sarawak.
The move had resulted in a significant reduction of Brunei’s territory and cut the sultanate into two.
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Then it is best never talk about it then.
No suprise. The press is owned by the main component parties of the current government and is a propaganda tool for them. All other opposition news are ridiculed and bias reporting is the norm..
Tadpole, ya, I think so too. It is better to wait until it is really resolved then only announce it. In any case, it is quite unthinkable for a country to drop a territorial claim on an area unless the world court says it has no territorial sovereignty over the disputed area.
Chris, the same goes with opposition media… I just wish things could be more balanced on both sides.