File pic of Jacel Kiram in one of her speeches on the Sabah claim
Princess Jacel Kiram has a short and sweet message to Malaysian media who tagged her as a “terrorist” for trying to renew Philippine claims over Sabah.
“Malaysian newspapers labelled me as a ‘Princess Terrorist’. They are even asking our government why I’m allowed to run for a government office,” Jacel said in an interview on ANC Headstart Tuesday, March 8.
Jacel is running for senator under the ticket of United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) standard-bearer, Vice President Jejomar Binay.
“It’s funny I’m being labelled as a terrorist. I’m not a terrorist. I’m just fighting for what is legally, historically ours,” she said, referring to the state of Sabah, formerly called north Borneo.
Jacel’s late father, Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, was a claimant ruler to the Sultanate of Sulu which insists having control over Sabah. The elder Kiram died in October 2013.
Sabah is now formally part of Malaysia, which is why it’s media has resorted to name-calling against the “princess” of the opposition slate.
Princess Jacel Kiram said that Sabah’s annual income of $72 billion is equivalent to 100 million sacks of rice each month.This alone is reason enough for the Philippines to reclaim Sabah, she added.
Last year, Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s ( PKR) Vice-President Nurul Izzah Anwar, daughter of jailed Anwar Ibrahim, was seen pictured together with Jacel Kiram in Manila, both armed with placards calling for the released of Anwar Ibrahim.