Chapter 2: Sabah in the World’s Strategic Crossroads

“Among the quietest points on the map lies the most volatile centre in the world’s grand design.”

Sabah is not just a vast land. It is a geopolitical heartbeat connecting East and West, North and South. Among Malaysians, Sabah is often seen as a distant state, far from Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur. But on the world map of power, Sabah sits at the centre — not the periphery.

A Location That Is No Longer Ordinary

Geographically, Sabah is located at the northern part of Borneo island. It faces the Sulu Sea to the north and the South China Sea to the west. It also borders the Celebes Sea to the southeast. But what truly makes Sabah valuable is its direct proximity to:

• The Philippines in the north (via Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago)

• The South China Sea, a contested zone between China and ASEAN nations

• The Makassar Strait and the Java Sea, key shipping lanes for Asia-Pacific ports

Indirectly, Sabah becomes the intersection where ports, energy routes, and military influence collide among global superpowers.

Whoever controls Sabah does not only control a part of Malaysia. They control a crucial point that can open or close strategic access to:

• The Spratly Islands

• Philippine waters

• Eastern Indonesia

• The shipping routes between the Pacific and the Indian Ocean

Sabah is an extremely critical convergence point where global economic interests and military strategy collide directly, making it not just a land rich in natural resources and investment potential, but also a high-profile zone on the map of global troop movements, maritime trade, and the great power struggle over Asia-Pacific via the South China Sea.

Sabah and the Sulu Claim: Not Just a Historical Dispute

The Sulu Sultanate’s claim over Sabah is not merely a matter of heritage or history. It is a geopolitical instrument. Behind the name of the Sulu Sultanate stands the government of the Philippines. And behind the Philippines stands the United States.

Between 2022 and 2023, Malaysia faced a legal crisis when an international tribunal ruled that Malaysia must pay nearly 15 billion USD in compensation to those claiming to be heirs of the Sulu Sultanate. The tribunal was ultimately overturned and its arbitrator penalised for contempt of court. But the greater revelation was that this was not simply a legal issue. It had evolved into a calculated geopolitical strategy.

The Philippines has long declared that Sabah is part of its territory. This issue resurfaces whenever there is internal pressure within their country. With the US as a key defence ally, Sabah now falls under wider scrutiny — from the perspective of American military strategic vision.

The United States and the Need for a New Base

The US has many military bases in the Philippines. However, all of them are constrained by domestic political restrictions. The Philippines officially does not allow its territory to be used for offensive operations, except in direct defence cooperation. Therefore, the US needs an alternative.

Sabah is the most viable alternative. In the event Malaysia is weakened by disaster or internal crisis, a US request to lease part of Sabah under the guise of regional security may seem reasonable. Offers of investment, recovery aid, development funding and UN support will accompany such requests. It will be packaged as a “golden offer” to Malaysia as it struggles to rebuild.

But every offer comes with a price. That price is sovereignty, and ultimately, control.

China and Its Long Breath Strategy

Across the waters, China has never publicly announced any direct interest in Sabah. However, it has massive stakes in the South China Sea and the Spratly Islands. China has built artificial islands, deployed warships, and constructed airbases in disputed zones.

If the US succeeds in establishing a permanent presence in Sabah, China’s dominance in the area will be at risk. The deterrence strategy once adopted by Japan against the US in Pearl Harbor may now be mirrored by China against Sabah.

China will see foreign control over Sabah as a form of encirclement. And in their military doctrine, encirclement must be answered with force.

Sabah and the “Inner Map” of the Enemy

To most Malaysians, Sabah is just another state. But to global adversaries, Sabah is a key node in the inner map — a hidden strategic blueprint based on the following:

• Global oil and gas routes. These are the paths used by tankers transporting crude oil and natural gas from producing countries to global markets. Areas like the South China Sea are highly contested because over 30% of the world’s energy trade passes through it. Whoever controls this route controls the heartbeat of the world economy.

• Submarine telecommunication infrastructure. This refers to undersea cables carrying nearly all global internet traffic. Sabah lies close to one of the main international cable corridors. Whoever controls this infrastructure can intercept, monitor, or disrupt global communications in real time.

• Ports capable of handling military and large cargo ships. Deep-sea ports can accommodate large warships and giant cargo vessels. Sabah has the potential for such ports, which are vital for military logistics and controlling regional trade.

• Religious-demographic composition. The mix of Muslim and non-Muslim populations is used to analyse how easily a region can be influenced, divided, or socially and ideologically controlled. In places like Sabah, this composition is key to determining whether future governance remains within Islamic values or erodes through infiltration of foreign ideologies — just as happened in Singapore in the past.

• Potential for rebellion or demographic manipulation. Areas with a history of ethnic or economic tension are often targeted by external powers to provoke internal conflict. Through mass naturalisation, large-scale migration, or selective economic aid, adversaries can reshape the political and social landscape of a state — creating crises that open the door for foreign intervention.

Therefore, Sabah is not measured by its size or population. It is measured by its immense strategic potential, when merged with global geo-economic and military interests.

From the Edge to the Centre: A Silent Shift

Sabah has long been overlooked in national narratives. It has often been left out of development priorities and central political discourse. But in global narratives, Sabah is quietly shifting from the margins to the centre.

This transition is happening silently. One by one, foreign investments enter. Infrastructure is built. Cooperation agreements are signed. Legal claims are filed. And in silence, Sabah is being orchestrated from afar.

If the people remain unaware, Sabah will become the second Palestine. If the government is negligent, Sabah will become the next Singapore — not by exiting Malaysia, but by being dominated from within. If we all remain asleep, Sabah will become the third Pearl Harbor — the ignition point of a world war that cannot be stopped.

Closing of Chapter 2: Sabah Stands Alone No More

Sabah is no longer just Malaysia’s issue. It has become the battleground of war and peace in Southeast Asia. Whoever controls it, controls the maritime routes. Whoever conquers it, seizes global influence. And whoever defends it, upholds the final dignity of the Ummah.

“Do not wait until enemy machines land on the shore to realise that Sabah is precious. For by then, the price to pay may no longer be land — but souls and generations.”