KOTA KINABALU, July 1 -- Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan has expressed disappointment over Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's recent statement in Indonesia, agreeing to jointly develop the disputed Ambalat maritime region near Sabah's maritime borders.

Kitingan, who is also Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku president, said that it would be an insult if the announcement was made without prior consultation with the state government.

"I am disappointed to know this is happening, too. Ambalat has always been considered part of Sabah's territorial waters.

"If this decision was truly made without consulting Sabah, then it is not good. It's another way of bypassing Sabah's rights. And we need an explanation," he said.

Kit...