MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. said the foreign ministries of Philippines and Malaysia will tackle the issue of Sabah following the official visit of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim here this week.

Recalling Anwar's visit to Manila in his latest vlog, Marcos said the issue must be tackled "thoroughly."

"Napag-usapan din namin yung isyu ng Sabah, alam niyo naman mayroon tayong claim diyan at sa ngayon, sila ang administrator sa Sabah. Kaya sabi namin kailangan namin mapag-usapan nang masinsinan yan," the Philippine leader said.

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"'Yung foreign affairs secretary namin ay mag-uusap tungkol diyan kung ano pa ang pwede nating [gawin]," he added.

Despite this though, he said Manila and Kuala Lumpur's ties must remain warm, citing the "similarities" of the two nations.

"Sabi namin kailangan magka-partner tayo dahil pareho ang sitwasyon natin. Umaahon tayo dahan-dahan sa pandemya at hinaharap natin ay kapareho din ng mga hamon lalo na sa importation, sa inflation," he said.

Video from President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr's vlog

The Philippines lays claim over Sabah, citing a land lease agreement in 1878 between the Sultanate of Sulu and the British North Borneo Chartered Co. It is located east of Malaysia's northern Borneo and southwest of Sulu.

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His father, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, Sr., actively pursued the Sabah claim years after it was federated into Malaysia.

Anwar, for his part, said the issue must "rest for a while."

"There should not be an issue that easily provoke or cause antagonism because there are too many things in common," the Malaysian leader said in an exclusive interview on ANC's Headstart.

He also described Marcos' approach to the issue as "cordial," just as he said that Filipino officials have not been involved in applications staking claims to Sabah.

Malaysia had denied that the Philippines has a claim on Sabah.

In March 2013, Marcos Jr. said Sabah belongs to the Philippines.

"We, as a republic, have a claim over Sabah since the 1960's, we have historical claim over Sabah and that's a fact," Marcos, then a senator, said in a press release.