Sultan Sharif Ibrahim Ajibul Mohammad Pulalun, a descendant of Sultan Mohammad Pulalun, of the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo.
ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Mar. 8, 2013) – Another heir to the Sultanate of Sulu, Sultan Sharif Ibrahim Ajibul Mohammad Pulalun, has surfaced in Zamboanga City on Friday and appealed to Kuala Lumpur not to harm innocent Filipinos residing or working in North Borneo where Malaysian security forces continue to hunt down about 200 sultanate members.
The Sultanate of Sulu is claiming historical ownership on North Borneo which it said was illegally annexed by Malaysia and now called Sabah.
Some 800,000 Filipinos, mostly Muslims, are either residing or illegally working in North Borneo. And hundreds have been deported or escaped the strife in North Borneo since violence began last month on the oil-rich island, just several hours by speedboat from the nearest Philippine province of Tawi-Tawi.
Sultan Sharif Ibrahim Ajibul Mohammad Pulalun, a descendant of Sultan Mohammad Pulalun, of the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo, issued an official appeal calling to all Muslims in the Philippines to stay calm and for Malaysia not to harm innocent Filipinos in North Borneo.
“Ako po si Sultan Sharif Ibrahim Ajibul Mohammad Pulalun, ang lehitimo na tagapagmana ni Sultan Mohammad Pulalun, Sultan of Sulu and North Borneo, ay nananawagan sa gobyerno ng Pilipinas na ilabas na ang totoong kasaysayan ng Sultanate of Sulu, upang matigil na ang gulo na nakakadamay ng mga inosenteng mamamayan,” he said.
“Sa pamahalaan naman ng Malaysia, ako po ay nananawagan na huwag idamay ang mga inosenteng Pilipinong sibilyan na naninirahan at naghahanap-buhay diyan sa Sabah. At sa mga kapatid kong Muslim, sabay-sabay tayong manalangin kay Allah na maresolba ang kaguluhan sa Sabah sa mapayapang paraan.”
Sultan Sharif Ibrahim Ajibul Mohammad Pulalun is a known supporter of President Benigno Aquino.
He said Malaysia continues to pay its annual rent – a little over P70,000 – to the Sultanate of Sulu since it annexed North Borneo. Muslims in the Philippines are supporting the sultanate claims over North Borneo and regard sultans as influential rulers in the South. (Mindanao Examiner)
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