evidence: The issue of Sabah or North Borneo, as it was known till 19631, was brushed under a legal carpet of convenience ever since the Malaysian Federation was formed. Sabah lies on the island of Borneo, the world’s third largest island astride the maritime routes of ASEAN. 73% of the island is the territory of five Indonesian provinces. It proposes to have its new capital in the resource rich island which it calls Kalimantan.2 The small country of Brunei is located on Borneo and the remainder is the territory of Sabah and Sarawak in Malaysia. [...] When Malaysia was being formed, Philippines President Diosdado Macapagal's position was that North Borneo was their territory.5 It ruptured diplomatic relations when Malaysia incorporated Sabah. These were quietly resumed withthe Manila Accord of June 1963 between the two and Indonesia.6 At this time Philippines accommodated Malaysia by leaving the Sabah issue to a future determination.7 In 1968, President Marcos attempted a military strike through specially trained forces, which was aborted but not without causing concern.8 [...] In 2002, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) took up a case between Malaysia and Indonesia on the islands of Ligitan and Sipadan. Philippines sought to be impleaded as a claimant to the North Borneo as successor to the State of Sulu but the ICJ declined their request as it did not see these islands, despite proximity to North Borneo, as linked issues.9 The Islands were awarded to Malaysia. The issue has laid there like a sleeping dragon.