Thursday, September 30, 2010

An Interview with HRH Sultan Esmail D. Kiram II

September 3, 2010
This is an excerpt from the actual one hour  interview  to  HRH Sultan Esmail D. Kiram II by  the Historical Film ,TV  Scripwriter and Columnist - Boy Villasanta

BV : Your Highness , It is highnoon that after so many years of your silence, the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo  is well and alive as per successive media exposure of your Traditional Kingdom. What is your plan ?

EDK: Well , since all fake sultans are now back in the bin for extinction , it is my plan to implement the long delayed implementation of the 1939 High Court of North Borneo Ruling.

BV: Your Highness , What is that 1939 High Court of North Borneo Ruling ?

EDK: The 1939 High Court of North Borneo Ruling is the final and executory decission officiated by Judge McKaskie  in 1939. This is comprising of two separate ruling , the first is the monetary award given by the High Court given to nine principal heirs to the rental money of Sabah. Second is the awarding of the " LETTER OF ADMINISTRATION " to my father , Punjungan Kiram over Sabah. The resumption of rental fee was implemented but the " Letter of Administration " over sabah was not implemented due to 2nd world war and the chaos of SSNBK leadership after the war.

BV: Your Highness, you mentioned the leadership chaos of SSNBK. What exactly the reason of this chaos ? Is it internal  to the family or externally induced ?

EDK:  Very good question. Actually there is two facet, first is the protest of the rest of Kiram clan why the Letter of Sabah Administration was given by judge Mckaslie to my then Rajah Mudah  father  and not to his brother Sultan Esmail Kiram I . A close examination of McKaskie Judgement will reveal that my father was technically acknowledged as the heir of Sabah by way of  giving weight to the matrimonial and conjugal  relationship of my grandfather Sultan Mawalil Wasit to Mora Napsa my grandmother. The British High Court made it carefully as such because Britain is exercising a Christian teaching and not Muslim. Britain exercises monogamy  and therefore they chose one among the wives of my grandfather , a Muslim  to Mora Napsa my grandmother. This can be seen clearly that among the wives of  my grandfather - only my grandmother, Mora Napsa  was included as one of the nine principal heirs to the monetary rental of Sabah based on 1878 lease agreement. This is now  is being contested by the Kiram clan but judge Mckaskie knows by heart that he need to choose among the many Kirams, who will represent Sabah ownership under the British law , this propmpted him to choose my father then the Rajah Muda of Sultan Esmail Kiram I,  Punjungan Kiram.

Second is the political motivation, business  and personal venture of the Kirams to avoid the exercise of 1939  McKaskie Ruling. Claimant Sultans has sprouted like mushrooms in the hope that they can push themselves to the" Unbroken Process of Succession . Even the none Kirams like Omra Amilbangsa , the husband of Dayang Dayang Hadji Piandao, Rodinood Julaspi , and the sons of Sultan Esmail Kiram I join the wagon. They thought that judge McKaskie is motivated to decide to cause all  Kiram in chaos. There is even deeper theory that by politically motivated paying the fake Sultan  to create some chaos to Kiram clan is in place.

BV : Your Highness , Is it possible or will Malaysia allow you to 'Administer Sabah " since it is under their Federal Government?

EDK : Looking on the legal point of view , you cannot find Malaysia  as a party to the 1878  lease agreement and yet they continue to pay the yearly lease. The main reason  we accept the yearly  lease from Malaysia is not because we accept them as a "Lessee " but to fortify that McKaskie Ruling has taken place in effect and they only continue from the British as representative . Sabah is actually not part of Peninsular Malaysia per se according the  to 1963 "20 point Agreement " but a  " Partner to Malaysia "  prior to join Malaysia. This is very clear according to former Sabah  Chief Minister Yong Teck Lee that there is a big differrence in Joining as a Partner and joining as part of the Peninsular Malaysia. The earlier leaders of Sabah has now repenting and realized the purpose of Peninsular Malaysia by politically  deviating to  the 20 point agreement by infusing a Federal backed Sabah party leaders to change the Sabah Constitution that will void the 20 point agreement  . Peninsular Malaysia leadership in KL want to make it appear that Sabah is under the Constitution of Federal Malaysia. Sabah has it's own Constitution per se and therefore this clarify the issue as a partner not actually a state under Peninsular Malaysia.

BV: Your Highness , who will decide of the finality of the Sabah issues?

EDK : With regards to the Sabah political administration , the State officials at present is in the best position to decide under my Traditional leadership . I do not want to pre-empt the current political issue between Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah State officials , because it was already stated in 20 point  agreement.

BV: Your Highness , How about the Philippine claim?

EDK : With respect to Philippine claim of Sabah has no basis at all because Sabah belongs to the Sultanate of Sulu  per se through my father being the declared heir and administrator  of North Borneo  and not to the Philippine government. The temporary authority given to Phuilippine government to claim Sabah in behalf of SSNBK was long time revokated.

BV; Your Highness, If you had now in control of Sabah , to whose government  you will allow Sabah to be under?

EDK:If you mean political governance, Malaysia has demonstrated an effective political administration  as  was decided by ICJ in Sipadan Ligitan case , it states that-  Neither Indonesia nor Malaysia has proven the ownership of the contested area but as far as effective administration , Malaysia has proven by taking care of the habitation of the turtles  and other marine life in the area. In short ICJ has favored Malaysia by "Virtue of Effectivites " but not ownership. However, it is not for me to decide as to whose government Sabah will be under . It is the people who will decide . My role is the Traditional and Cultural aspects of my people to preserve and not political.

BV; Your Highness , if Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo own Sabah and the Center of your Kingdom is Sulu island , would it  not be complicated that your kingdom is under the two political governments ?

EDK : SSNBK is very unique, it is the only Traditional and Cultural kingdom in the world that has two political government. This could be the reason of chaos in Mindanao and the delay of Sabah return because both country has primeval political interest on their own . SSNBK as of now is being technically  sandwiched and under pressured by both political country.

BV: I see  that you have no political agenda ,   How then you could exercise your leadership to  the people of sabah and the people of Sulu ?

EDK : Like the rest of Eclessiastical governance , SSNBK can exercise the same not only to the Philippines and Malaysia  but anywhere in the world. The subject governments  has  nothing to fear since SSNBK is not a political entity.

BV: Your Highness , could it be possible to help the stateless people  in Sabah under your leadership?

EDK : This is one of my primary goal ,almost half million people of Sabah do not want to be acknowledge by Malaysia and now stateless . I want to help this people personally so I might decide to stay in Sabah for long to investigate the matter and come up with solution.

BV: Your Highness , that was very touching . What about the people of Mindanao? How can you help them ?

EDK : The people of Mindanao is highly politicized  and therefore complicated, my limited power can only exposed those who is maybe behind it ,the ongoing war and kidnapping must have been a work of political in nature. The 33 years war in Mindanao is said to be sponsored by political powers and the solution to stop it  must be carefully plan. Mindanao is impoverished and there is no way that secessionist can fight over the well supplied and well funded government against  if no other big party is involved. United Nation must get involved in this 33 years onslaught of my people. I vowed to continue my" Peace Advocacy" to both Mindanao and Sabah to echo in  the whole world.

BV: Your Highness , time is short and I hope we had tackled  the most important issues. We hope that your advocacy  will be heard by those countries who can help  you  and see now that your advocacy is "Peace " and those country who  induced trouble to your Traditional kingdom.We thank for the enlightenment that we now understand the Sabah issue more vividly direct from you.

EDK: Thank you also for your time to interview me. God Bless you and everyone who helps in my " Peace Advocacy".

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