Many of those “suddenly” speaking out today were either members of Parliament or in the Cabinet at the time the Territorial Sea Act was passed, he said. The law sets the territorial waters limit at three nautical miles offshore.

The GRS-led state government continues to maintain that the law does not apply to the state as it was not approved by the state assembly, he said in a Facebook post on his speech at a Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah divisional general meeting in Melalap.

To those who have criticised the law, he said: “Why are they only raising it now? Why didn’t they object when the bill was tabled in Cabinet and passed in Parliament?”

Armizan, who is Papar MP, said the episode showed why Sabah needed a local party at the helm of its state government to ensure its rights and interests are not sidelined in dealings with the federal government.

He pointed out that in 2012, a majority of Sabah MPs were part of national parties and had to follow their party’s decisions in Parliament, including support for the territorial sea law.

He drew a contrast with the Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage Act, which was amended to exclude Sabah and Sarawak after the federal government took into account the views of the two state governments.

“This reflects the nature of the current relationship between the federal government, led by Pakatan Harapan, and the Sabah government, led by GRS. The federal level is anchored by a national party, while the state level is anchored by a local party,” he said.

Armizan added that the prime minister’s commitment to recognising the special position of Sabah and Sarawak also played a part in that outcome.

While acknowledging that Sabah’s current unity government includes PH assemblymen, he said the foundation must remain with local parties. “This ensures that matters involving state interests are always discussed at an inter-governmental level and not decided within party structures first,” he added.