KUALA LUMPUR: Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein took a jab at the Sabah caretaker Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal for suggesting that Malaysia should negotiate with the Philippines on the latter's claim on Sabah.
"I have reiterated this many times, the Philippines claim on Sabah is baseless and that Sabah will forever be an integral part of Malaysia," he said in a Facebook post today.
Hishammuddin said any form of negotiations was tantamount to endorsing Manila's baseless claim on Sabah.
"Malaysia does not recognise the Philippines' claim. So, there is no reason to hold negotiations. Or is Shafie proposing that the Philippines' claim has merits?"
"In fact, as the leader of Sabah, Shafie should be more assertive, and not yield to foreign claims that undermine Sabah's sovereignty," he said.
Hishammuddin also reiterated that the Malaysian government would never entertain, let alone negotiate on any foreign claim on Sabah.
On Aug 28, Shafie suggested that both Malaysia and Phillippines should resolve Manila's claim over Sabah once and for all through negotiations.
His suggestions, however, had drawn ire from the public, as well as politicians , including from the Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS) president, Datuk Seri Anifah Aman.