Warisan rep slams Filipino senator’s ‘baseless’ Sabah claims

KOTA KINABALU (March 28): Likas assemblyman Tham Yun Fook has strongly condemned remarks by Filipino senator Robin Padilla, describing them as baseless and a revival of outdated claims over Sabah.

The Parti Warisan leader said such statements undermine the credibility expected of a senator and reflect poorly on one’s grasp of facts, history and international law.

“In a world governed by facts and international law, repeating such an old narrative only highlights political immaturity and desperation,” he said in a statement on Saturday.

Tham also took aim at Padilla’s public record, noting that the senator, a former action film actor, had previously faced legal issues involving illegal possession of firearms, as well as controversies over remarks on younger generations and women’s rights.

“A senator should speak responsibly, not sell empty rhetoric for attention. Such statements raise serious questions about his understanding of history, sovereignty and international law,” he said.

He added that if Padilla genuinely cared about the Philippines, he should instead advise his government on addressing the issue of Filipino nationals entering Sabah illegally, rather than making claims over a sovereign neighbouring territory.

Tham reiterated that Sabah’s position within Malaysia is final and non-negotiable, echoing sentiments expressed by Parti Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.

“The facts are clear: Sabah legally joined Malaysia in 1963 through the expressed will of its people, and this process is recognised internationally,” he said.

He stressed that Sabah is neither a disputed territory nor a bargaining chip, but an integral part of Malaysia.

“The people of Sabah will continue to defend the sovereignty of their land without compromise. Stop politicising fantasies. The world moves by facts,” he said.

In a pointed remark, Tham also urged Padilla to refrain from what he described as “movie-script theatrics”, saying such rhetoric has no place in serious geopolitical discourse.