“For decades, discourse surrounding Sabah’s ports has been predominantly commercial—centered on container throughput, vessel turnaround times, tariff structures, foreign investment, direct shipping linkages, and the aspiration to transform Sapangar Bay into a BIMP-EAGA hub [Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area]. While these economic metrics remain vital, shifting geopolitical tides compel a more fundamental line of inquiry that transcends logistics and finance: Who ought to hold ultimate authority over Sabah’s maritime gateways?”
“[…] Superpower rivalry is no longer a distant abstraction—it has arrived at Sabah’s shoreline. A 26 August 2026 report in the Star, titled ‘Superpower Rivalry Moves Near Sabah,’ brings this reality into sharp focus. The article highlights Balabac, the Philippines’ southernmost island, located just 50 kilometres north of Sabah’s Banggi Island. The Balabac Strait separating them is a mere 12 kilometres across at its narrowest point. Under the Philippines’ defence cooperation pact with the United States, Balabac’s military infrastructure is being expanded. With American forces now enjoying access to designated sites in the Philippines, the South China Sea’s escalating strategic contest has crept uncomfortably close to Sabah’s northern flank—rendering the question of port control not merely economic, but existential.”
“Sabah is not Malaysia’s periphery—it is Malaysia’s frontier. To the west and northwest lies the South China Sea; to the northeast, the Sulu Sea; to the southeast, the Sulawesi Sea. Across these waters lie Palawan, Balabac, the southern Philippines, Brunei, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi. Sabah thus occupies a position of profound geostrategic consequence: the very intersection of the South China Sea and the BIMP-EAGA subregion.”
“Its ports—Sapangar, Kudat, Sandakan, Lahad Datu, and Tawau—are consequently far more than cargo-handling facilities…”
See also: Superpower rivalry moves near Sabah
“The challenge is compounded by overlapping claims by the two countries over the Exclusive Economic Zone. Both countries claim the sea north of Banggi and south of Balabac.”
“Manila’s legal framing also avoids implicitly recognising Malaysian sovereignty over Sabah, without waiving its own dormant historical claim on Sabah.”
“Balabac’s close proximity – a 10-minute flight or an hour’s naval crossing to Sabah – makes Malaysia vulnerable to spillover effects from any military build-up.”
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2026/08/26/superpower-rivalry-moves-near-sabah