[1889] Of two too different interpretations

Amid the noise that is Perak,^[1] other equally if not more important things are creeping under the carpet. One of them is about Sabah.

In Malaysiakini:

The Philippine government has recognised Sulu Sultan Esmail Dalus II’s announcement over the weekend that he will ‘drop’ the suzerainty claim to Sabah since it is ‘complicated’. [Sulu sultan ‘drops’ Sabah suzerainty claim. Joe Fernandez. Malaysiakini. February 2 2009]

But in Philippine Daily Inquirer:

The Sultanate of Sulu on Saturday declared it would assert its property rights over Sabah (formerly North Borneo) regardless of the unresolved territorial dispute between the Philippines and Malaysia. [Sulu sultan asserts rights over Sabah. Erika Sauler. Philippine Daily Inquirer via Asia News Network. February 1 2009]

Honestly, what did the man really say?

I eagerly await for response from the Foreign Ministry.

^[1] — Perak’s problem over political defections is stirring up a huge debate on constitutional law in Malaysia among its experts.

Several lawyers and election veterans have expressed differing opinions on whether or not Perak State Legislative Assembly Speaker V Sivakumar, has the right to force by-elections in Behrang and Changkat Jering, the two state seats said to have been vacated by their incumbent assemblymen while locked in a public dispute that puts the state government at risk of collapse.

The argument hangs on the validity of the undated and pre-signed letters of resignation from the state’s two PKR assemblymen. [Perak’s headache turning into a constitutional nightmare. Debra Chong. Shannon Teoh. The Malaysian Insider. February 2 2009]