STAR Sabah President Raises Alarm Over Border Demarcation Involving Sabah

25 January 2026

KOTA KINABALU: Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR Sabah) President Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Jeffrey G Kitingan has expressed serious concern over recent reports relating to border demarcation exercises involving Sabah, warning that any decisions made without constitutional compliance and Sabah’s involvement are invalid.

In a statement issued today, Dr Jeffrey said reports suggesting that boundary matters affecting Sabah had been agreed or settled through closed-door discussions were deeply troubling, particularly if such engagements excluded Sabah’s representatives.

“As President of STAR Sabah and an elected representative for Keningau and Tambunan, my mandate rests on the defence of Sabah’s sovereignty,” he said, adding that Sabah’s borders were not “diplomatic favours to be traded for goodwill”.

Dr Jeffrey stressed that any claim that boundary issues involving Sabah had been resolved outside Malaysia’s constitutional framework was misleading. He cited Article 2 of the Federal Constitution, which stipulates that no alteration to state boundaries can take place without the approval of Parliament, the express consent of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly, and the assent of the Conference of Rulers.

“These are constitutional safeguards, not technical formalities,” he said, adding that regardless of statements made following treaties signed in June 2023, no boundary changes could be considered legally final if constitutional procedures had not been completed.

He also reminded the Federal Government that Sabah is a founding partner of the Federation of Malaysia and must not be treated as a peripheral territory. Decisions affecting Sabah’s land or maritime boundaries, including matters related to the Ambalat block and the Sebatik maritime boundary, must involve the state from the outset, he said.

Dr Jeffrey further emphasised that silence should not be construed as consent, and that the absence of public objection does not equate to approval. He said his party and constituents were entitled to full disclosure of all relevant documents, including maps and records, before any acceptance of the outcomes of boundary discussions.

Calling for transparency, he urged the Sabah State Government to convene a Special Sitting of the State Legislative Assembly to allow the matter to be debated openly by elected representatives. He also proposed the establishment of a Parliamentary Special Committee with strong Sabah representation to examine the legal status of the reported understandings and ensure constitutional compliance.

In addition, he called on the Federal Government to disclose all relevant documents, including the full texts of agreements, official maps and records, rather than summaries or assurances.

“This position is not rooted in hostility towards Indonesia, but in fidelity to the Constitution and respect for the rule of law,” he said, adding that engagement must not come at the expense of Sabah’s constitutional rights.

Dr Jeffrey said he would continue to defend Sabah’s position within the Federation as an equal partner, and called on the Federal Government to either produce documentation supporting any binding decisions or correct the public record.

The statement follows ongoing public concern in Sabah over maritime boundary treaties signed between Malaysia and Indonesia in June 2023 concerning the Sulawesi Sea and the Straits of Melaka. Critics have raised questions over whether sovereign rights involving the Ambalat block and areas near Sebatik Island were affected without the constitutionally required consent of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly.