Overview

• Malaysia's Deputy Foreign Minister Mohamad Alamin announced a protest note sent to the Philippines regarding new maritime laws.
• The laws, signed by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., reaffirm the country's maritime territories, including disputed areas in the South China Sea.
• Malaysia argues that the laws extend Philippine claims into internationally recognized Malaysian boundaries set in 1979.
• The Philippines has a longstanding claim to Sabah, a region currently part of Malaysia, due to historical ties to the Sultanate of Sulu.
• Analysts urge Malaysia and the Philippines to focus on unified negotiations with China and ASEAN over South China Sea disputes.