Malaysian trader disputes claim of Pinoy group over Sabah

The standoff between a group of armed Filipinos and Malaysian authorities in Sabah may become more complicated after a controversial 45-year-old businessman surfaced to contest the Filipinos' claim of Sabah as their ancestral home.

In an interview posted Thursday on Malaysia's The Star online, Datu Abdul Rajak Aliuddin, 45, insisted he is the sixth Sultan of North Borneo.

“My family is the rightful owner of the throne,” Rajak said.

Rajak said his father, Aliuddin Agas, "was recognized as the fifth Sultan of North Borneo," and was "one of those who signed the framework for the Malaysia agreement in 1962.”

The Star online report said Rajak showed documents to back his claim – it posted a photo of him holding his business card.

But the report also noted that in past years, "claimants to the throne have produced many documents to the media to back their claims."

Rajak was quoted in the interview as saying the Filipinos led by Raja Muda Azzimudie Kiram had no right to claim Sabah, which he said was previously known as North Borneo.

Kiram's group earlier demanded they be recognized as the Royal Sulu Sultanate Army, and that Sabah was their ancestral home.

Rajak also said the Filipino group did not have any right to use the yellow flag with the lion.

The Star report said the Filipino group supposedly raised such a flag in Kampung Tanduo after occupying the village at Felda Sahabat 17, the report said.

Controversial figure

But The Star online report also noted Rajak had been detained and charged earlier for burning the Sabah flag and raising the North Borneo Sultanate flag.

It also pointed out Rajak was not the first to lay claim to the area.

Last year, it said businessman Datu Mohamad Akjan claimed to be the heir of the Sulu Sultanate. He even staged a ceremony to declare himself as Sultan.

But The Star report said police had questioned Akjan after photos of him as the Sultan of Sulu. — LBG, GMA News

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