What ?? You're back
this soon ?? You're ruining my plan !!

Thanks for actually coming here, Pasha. I was rather reluctant to even post the link to this thread in our PM channel since I thought you are still not in the mood for coming back here....
So I think the controversy over Pasha's scenario has now been settled out. I initially thought his scenario as a rather bit too ambitious myself, but I don't think he will go with what he has if he cannot cover it up. I actually planned for an Aceh survival scenario myself for my TL, though a softer one, without any blatant Ottoman intervention, and largely diplomatic. I aimed for an earlier end of war though, about 1888-1894. Now I think it's my scenario that is less likely.....
Either way, Aceh survival through Ottoman efforts would give inspiration for Indonesian muslims which would trouble the Dutch position throughout the archipelago. The Dutch cannot afford to respond to it recklessly. If we go with Pasha's scenario, I guess the wave of Pan-islamist euphoria will add a different dimension to the ATL's *Ethical Policy. In short, the Dutch would try their best to appease the muslims post Aceh-War, and it can possibly drive them to draw some examples from British approach in India. This will be intriguing indeed, and I guess it will also effect the colonial policy towards the Indies' Chinese communities, especially the ones with direct point of frictions with urban muslims...
As I was saying, the Ottoman position would be very limited and legalistic, aimed specifically at Aceh, where the Dutch position is ambiguous and problematic: they don't have an effective blockade, they invaded with no casus belli, and their occupation of the East Coast dependencies was based on a flimsy legal fiction that they belonged to Siak. The Ottomans would absolutely
not use pan-Islamic ideological weaponry or encourage any risings elsewhere, as that would open a can of worms that would not end well. The Dutch are certainly going to have problems, especially in Sumatra, and maybe rumblings in Java and elsewhere, but unless they attempt to prolong the struggle, I don't think there's anything they can't handle. At least for the short-to-medium term.
There is some risk to intervention, but it would hugely increase Ottoman prestige in the Islamic world and make it harder for the Powers to disregard their treaties with the Ottomans as they did rather casually in OTL.
Remember that we're talking about a much stronger Ottoman Empire in this scenario. It still holds the Balkans, has a territorial presence on the Indian Ocean, a reasonably potent navy, and has successfully survived a Russian invasion.
It was the crushing losses of the Treaty of Berlin that led the Powers to believe Ottoman collapse was immanent (as in any day now). Before that, Ottoman rule was considered desirable, as treaty relationships limited Ottoman tariffs, gave Europeans huge tax advantages, and essentially allowed them to reap the economic rewards of empire without having to bear the administrative costs.
It's further down the line, perhaps in the 1920s, where the consequences of this start to snowball.
As for Sabah, I was considering the possibility that if it's an Austrian company, upon ignition of a general European war it might reincorporate as an Ottoman company, to remain neutral, forestall a British occupation, and allow it to continue to operate with its international staff, largely Austro-Hungarian and British. Not really an Ottoman possession, just a private company incorporated in Istanbul, probably directed by boards in Vienna and London, much like the Imperial Ottoman Bank was run by committees in Paris and London.