Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- 21st Royal Malay Regiment Pengkalan Chepa Deployed To Sabah
- IGP: All six bodies of policemen killed in Semporna ambush recovered
- PR may recapture Perak: Analysts
- Army set to end stand-off
- Tensions Escalating on Borneo as Malaysia Doubles Military Forces
- Lahad Datu invasion: Who’s the mastermind?
- PM condemns Tian Chua for blaming Sabah saga on Umno
- Najib: Opposition must stop politicising Lahad Datu issue
- Najib: Govt to investigate claims of Opposition instigating Sulu Sultanate to reclaim Sabah
- Anwar mulls legal action against Utusan, TV3 over Filipino militant link
- Defiant Sulu Sultan mocks calls to surrender
- Another group of intruders spotted
- Five Malaysian police killed in Borneo clash
- No surrender, we stay
- Two cops killed in Simunul ambush
- Another cop dead; maritime tigthens security
- Malaysia demands surrender of Sulu fighters
- Najib will take Malaysia to greater heights, says Dr M
| 21st Royal Malay Regiment Pengkalan Chepa Deployed To Sabah Posted: 02 Mar 2013 11:08 PM PST
(Bernama) - A group of soldiers from the 21st Royal Malay Regiment (RAMD) at the 8th Brigade Camp, Pengkalan Chepa, left for Sabah as an additional battalion to monitor the situation in Lahad Datu. They were given a tearful send-off by family members at the Sultan Ismail Petra Airport in Pengkalan Chepa here.
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| IGP: All six bodies of policemen killed in Semporna ambush recovered Posted: 02 Mar 2013 11:03 PM PST
(The Star) - Police have now considered the Semporna shootout incident resolved after recovering the body of another policeman and six corpses believed to be those of the Sulu gunmen. This brings to six the number of policemen killed in an ambush by the Sulu gunmen in Kampung Sri Jaya in the Semulu settlement near Semporna town late Saturday. Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar told reporters late Sunday that the mopping up operations involving the checking of some 300 houses in the village ended at 6.30pm on Sunday. From that police were able to account for 19 of the 25 policemen who caught in the ambush, he said. The bodies of the six policemen have been taken to the Semporna hospital.
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| PR may recapture Perak: Analysts Posted: 02 Mar 2013 10:25 PM PST
(The Sun Daily) - Political analysts believe that apart from retaining Selangor, Kelantan, Penang and Kedah, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has a good chance of recapturing Perak in the next general election (GE), Sin Chew Daily reported today. The report said of the states it captured in the last GE, PR is expected to sail through in Penang but will have a tough fight in Selangor. Political analysts said although PR regards Johor, Sabah and Sarawak as its frontline states, Barisan Nasional (BN) still has the upper hand in their so-called "fixed deposit" states. However, they believe PR will still win a few more parliamentary seats in each of these states. Political scientist Dr Ho Khai Leong said given the gap in the number of seats held by PR and BN in the PR-led states, BN needs to do extremely well to recapture them. "Selangor is more urbanised than other states. The issues of crime, transport and spiralling property prices are plaguing the people who feel they have not benefited much from the present government." Ho also predicts a fierce fight between the two coalitions in Perak. Given that the Chinese are unhappy with the way BN wrested power from PR in Perak after the last GE, it would not be surprising for PR to take over the state again in GE13, he said. Political analyst Dr Thock Kiah Wah shared Ho's view, saying the Chinese may cast protest votes to "punish" the BN. On talk that the number of Kedah government policies that irked the Chinese in the last five years may cause PR the state, Ho said the small percentage of Chinese voters would not make much difference. However, Thock cautioned that the influence of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in the state cannot be underestimated. Political analysts believe that apart from retaining Selangor, Kelantan, Penang and Kedah, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has a good chance of recapturing Perak in the next general election (GE), Sin Chew Daily reported today. The report said of the states it captured in the last GE, PR is expected to sail through in Penang but will have a tough fight in Selangor. Political analysts said although PR regards Johor, Sabah and Sarawak as its frontline states, Barisan Nasional (BN) still has the upper hand in their so-called "fixed deposit" states. However, they believe PR will still win a few more parliamentary seats in each of these states. Political scientist Dr Ho Khai Leong said given the gap in the number of seats held by PR and BN in the PR-led states, BN needs to do extremely well to recapture them. "Selangor is more urbanised than other states. The issues of crime, transport and spiralling property prices are plaguing the people who feel they have not benefited much from the present government." Ho also predicts a fierce fight between the two coalitions in Perak. Given that the Chinese are unhappy with the way BN wrested power from PR in Perak after the last GE, it would not be surprising for PR to take over the state again in GE13, he said. Political analyst Dr Thock Kiah Wah shared Ho's view, saying the Chinese may cast protest votes to "punish" the BN. On talk that the number of Kedah government policies that irked the Chinese in the last five years may cause PR the state, Ho said the small percentage of Chinese voters would not make much difference. However, Thock cautioned that the influence of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in the state cannot be underestimated. - See more at: http://www.thesundaily.my/news/626953#sthash.RWqjW8rQ.dpufPolitical analysts believe that apart from retaining Selangor, Kelantan, Penang and Kedah, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has a good chance of recapturing Perak in the next general election (GE), Sin Chew Daily reported today. The report said of the states it captured in the last GE, PR is expected to sail through in Penang but will have a tough fight in Selangor. Political analysts said although PR regards Johor, Sabah and Sarawak as its frontline states, Barisan Nasional (BN) still has the upper hand in their so-called "fixed deposit" states. However, they believe PR will still win a few more parliamentary seats in each of these states. Political scientist Dr Ho Khai Leong said given the gap in the number of seats held by PR and BN in the PR-led states, BN needs to do extremely well to recapture them. "Selangor is more urbanised than other states. The issues of crime, transport and spiralling property prices are plaguing the people who feel they have not benefited much from the present government." Ho also predicts a fierce fight between the two coalitions in Perak. Given that the Chinese are unhappy with the way BN wrested power from PR in Perak after the last GE, it would not be surprising for PR to take over the state again in GE13, he said. Political analyst Dr Thock Kiah Wah shared Ho's view, saying the Chinese may cast protest votes to "punish" the BN. On talk that the number of Kedah government policies that irked the Chinese in the last five years may cause PR the state, Ho said the small percentage of Chinese voters would not make much difference. However, Thock cautioned that the influence of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in the state cannot be underestimated. - See more at: http://www.thesundaily.my/news/626953#sthash.RWqjW8rQ.dpuf
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| Posted: 02 Mar 2013 10:01 PM PST
CORDONED OFF: Intruders urged to surrender to avoid further bloodshed (NST) - LAHAD DATU: AFTER almost 20 days of negotiations and a bloody encounter on Friday, the army moved into Felda Sahabat yesterday, giving indication that the stand-off here was going to end soon. Truckloads of army personnel were seen yesterday moving into the cordoned off area, where more than 100 members of the Sulu Army have been holed up. This latest development came following Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's announcement on Friday that he was giving full mandate to the police and army to end the crisis, which has gripped the nation, as soon as possible. The police and army are now working together to bring this crisis to an end. The security forces, however, are still giving the gunmen the opportunity to surrender without further bloodshed. Sabah police commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib told reporters here yesterday that police had once again dropped leaflets from the air, urging the intruders to surrender. The message was printed in English and Suluk language, which read "Lay down your arms. Surrender, surrender, surrender!" "We are giving them a chance and if they still insist on staying put, we will have no choice but to take an aggressive approach," Hamza said, adding that the situation was calm and there were no incidents of shooting yesterday. Hamza said the bodies of the 12 intruders, who were killed in a shoot-out yesterday, were still at the scene. "We are retrieving the bodies but we have to be careful." The shoot-out on Friday morning claimed the lives of Inspector Zulkifli Mamat, 28, and Corporal Sabarudin Daud, 47. Three security personnel were injured while 12 Sulu gunmen were killed. Earlier, Corporal Awang Suradi Awang Wang, 43, from the General Operations Force Battalion 17, related how he went to the scene of the shooting to retrieve the bodies of the two policemen. Awang Suradi, a Sarawakian who has been based in Felda Sahabat for almost 15 years, said he was assigned to retrieve the bodies as he knew the area well. He said he could not control his emotions when he saw the bodies of his comrades. "They were shot in the head. I recited some prayers before dragging the bodies to my Land Rover. I felt angry. I tied their hands over their chests, wrapped the bodies and took them to Lahad Datu hospital. "I do not know the two well, but when the honour of our country is at stake, we are all brothers fighting for the same cause." Awang Suradi said even though he was angry with the Sulu intruders, he felt they, too, deserved a proper burial. "But that will mean risking your life going back as the Sulu snipers are still around." Awang Suradi also said there were women among the dead Sulu invaders. Some were in army fatigues while others were in civilian clothes. It was learnt that after Friday's shoot-out, the security forces pushed the Sulu intruders 6km further into their hideout, tightening the cordon around them.
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| Tensions Escalating on Borneo as Malaysia Doubles Military Forces Posted: 02 Mar 2013 09:58 PM PST
(The New York Times) - Seven people were reported killed, and four hostages taken, as fighting continued Sunday in the Malaysian state of Sabah over a historic claim to the area by a religious group from the southern Philippines. The Malaysian government said the police and military presence in the area was being doubled, while the religious group said an undetermined number of supporters from the southern Philippines had entered the area to reinforce those supporting the claim. The Malaysian and Philippine navies have stepped up patrols in the waters between Sabah and the southern Philippines, which can be traversed in a speedboat in a little more than an hour. Five Malaysian police officers and two of their attackers were killed in an ambush Saturday, officials said Sunday. The Malaysian state news agency Bernama reported Sunday that villagers near the ambush had beaten to death a man suspected of being one of the attackers. That brought the death toll from fighting in the area to at least 21. On Friday, 12 members of the Filipino religious group and 2 Malaysian commandos were killed during a failed attempt to capture the group that had been holding a small village on the eastern coast of Borneo island since Feb. 12. A spokesman for the group, whose members claim to be heirs to the sultanate of Sulu, which ruled parts of northern Borneo for centuries, said Sunday that its forces on Sabah had taken hostage a Malaysian police officer, two soldiers and a government official. "We advised the people on the ground to take care of them, to feed them, so that in case there shall be international agencies to investigate the matter we can present those four captured government officials of Malaysia as witnesses to the atrocities committed by the government of Malaysia," the group's spokesman, Abraham Idjirani, said Sunday. Bernama quoted Prime Minister Najib Razak on Sunday as saying the violence had been limited to three areas of Sabah: Lahad Datu, where the group originally arrived, and the nearby areas of Semporna and Kunak. "The people of Sabah should not be fearful of their safety," the prime minister was quoted as saying. He added that Malaysian forces were operating in the areas affected by the violence. "Let's give them the opportunity and time to carry out their operations and overpower the group and rescue those in need," he said. On Sunday, Malaysian officials urged Sabah residents to remain calm and said resorts and other tourist facilities in the area remained open. "More fatalities may be expected, and as a nation we must come together to rally behind our forces," said Liew Vui Keong, the deputy prime minister of Malaysia, according to Bernama. Jacel Kiram, the daughter of Jamalul Kiram, who claims to be the sultan of Sulu, told a television station in Manila that the Malaysian authorities were rounding up Filipinos in the areas affected by the violence. Thousands of Filipinos live and work in Sabah. "Yesterday, Malaysian police were indiscriminately capturing Filipinos," she said. The Philippines has repeatedly asked the group to leave and has tried to calm tensions with its close ally. A Philippine diplomatic mission, headed by Jose Brillantes, a foreign affairs under secretary and former Philippine ambassador to Malaysia, has been sent to Kuala Lumpur to smooth relations. Several descendants of the sultanate of Sulu claim to be the current sultan, and some disagree with the actions taken by the group fighting in Sabah.
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| Lahad Datu invasion: Who’s the mastermind? Posted: 02 Mar 2013 04:12 PM PST
Malaysia and Philippines are investigating reports linking the Sulu incursion to the opposition's campaign to give Sabah autonomy if they win. (Bernama) - Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has ordered the intelligence authorities to investigate a claim that an opposition leader had a hand in the armed intrusion in Lahad Datu, Sabah. He said the allegation was a serious matter but there must be strong evidence to identify the mastermind. Najib said he was puzzled as to why the armed men came to Sabah at a time when the country was about to hold a general election when the Sulu Sultanate had laid claim to Sabah a long time ago. "All avenues must be investigated. (Philippine) President (Benigno S.) Aquino (III) also wants to know the truth." "The whole episode is a major embarrassment for the Philippine government." "They do not wish to see their citizens involved in aggression, violence, use of weapons and killing of our people," he told reporters after opening the main campus of Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) in Pauh, near here, today. The prime minister was commenting on foreign media reports that an opposition leader had a hand in the intrusion by the group claiming to be the royal army of the Sulu Sultanate. The Philippine Daily Inquirer had used a Reuters news agency article quoting a Philippine military officer as saying the intruders had come on the "invitation" of a Malaysian opposition politician. The Manila Times had reportedly claimed that the incursion was related to the Malaysian opposition's campaign to give Sabah autonomy if they win. Questionable timing Najib said Aquino had also directed his intelligence agencies to investigate and find out the truth behind the incident. "It (the allegation) has to be supported by evidence. Photographs and circumstantial evidence. "We do need solid evidence to know who are really behind this. As I said why all this (all of a) sudden. The timing (is) so nearly to the general election," he said. Najib said he believed that the group had a grand design to undermine the peace and stability that Sabah enjoyed. Asked whether the current situation demanded a task force involving both the Malaysian and Philippine forces, Najib said: "We have to do (work) separately, but we can coordinate and exchange information." |
| PM condemns Tian Chua for blaming Sabah saga on Umno Posted: 02 Mar 2013 03:37 PM PST
(Bernama) - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today strongly condemned the statement by PKR vice-president Tian Chua accusing Umno of having orchestrated the gun battle with armed intruders in Lahad Datu, Sabah. He said the allegation was a despicable political game by the opposition to garner the people's support in view of the approaching general election. "They (the opposition) are accusing the government of staging a drama. It is a great lie and falsehood. Even in the Memali incident, the opposition put the blame on the government. "We (the government) did not do any such thing. We never politicise our security because it involves human lives," he said when launching the Perlis-level "Promises Fulfilled" tour programme, here. (In the Memali incident of Nov 19, 1985, eighteen people were killed, many injured and hundreds arrested by police during an attempt to arrest a religious scholar, Ibrahim Mahmud, or better known as Ibrahim Libya, in Kampung Memali in Kedah.) "We must say that all the security forces would be defended because they are risking their lives. The nation's fighters should be acclaimed, not humiliated and debunked. So, do not play politics on the question of security," he said. Tian Chua had reportedly told the KeadilanDaily online portal on March 1 that the shooting in Lahad Datu was believed to be a "planned conspiracy of the Umno government" to divert attention and intimidate the people. Najib said he and his wife were driven to tears when consoling the widows of the two police commandos who were killed in a skirmish with the armed intruders in the defence of the nation's sovereignty. The children of these fallen heroes would be growing up without a father's love and guidance, he said. Najib also said that the time had come for Malaysians to determine a government which could safeguard their interests and promise a better future.
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| Najib: Opposition must stop politicising Lahad Datu issue Posted: 02 Mar 2013 03:34 PM PST
(The Star) - Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has blasted the Opposition for accusing Umno and the Barisan Nasional Government to be involved in the Lahad Datu crisis. The Prime Minister said the lives of two men were lost while defending the country and it was inhuman for the Opposition to belittle the fallen heroes' sacrifices. "Two women are now widows and children will grow up fatherless because Inspector Zulkifli Mamat and Kpl Sabaruddin Daud have died in the line of duty when protecting the sovereignty of the country and safety of the people. "How can the Opposition ridicule their sacrifices and say that Umno was behind this drama. This is a blatant lie. "Tell me who in their right mind will want to 'act' in this drama, knowing that their lives are at risk. "The Opposition must stop politicising the issue. The people must not accept this kind of Opposition who have no respect for our heroes," said the Najib when launching the state-level Jelajah Janji Di Tetapi (Promises Fulfilled) on Sunday. PKR vice president Tian Chua in his tweet remarked that the death of two police commandos in a shootout with armed intruders in Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu on Friday was linked to a Government conspiracy. Najib revealed that he and Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor were overcome with emotions when they saw the coffins bearing the slain commandos when they were taken out from the airplane and again when they met with the widows and their children to offer condolences.
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| Najib: Govt to investigate claims of Opposition instigating Sulu Sultanate to reclaim Sabah Posted: 02 Mar 2013 03:32 PM PST
(The Star) - The Prime Minister has directed Malaysian intelligence to investigate claims that the Opposition was among parties responsible in instigating the heir of the Sulu Sultanate to reclaim Sabah. Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said he regarded this as a serious allegation and that it needed to be supported by evidence. "There are photographs and circumstantial evidence but we need solid evidence to know who really is behind this," he said this at the launching of University Malaysia Perlis main campus on Sunday. Najib said the Sultanate's claim on Sabah was not new but the fact that the issue was raised again now was suspicious. He added that Malaysia and the Philippines needed to investigate the matter separately but would exchange information.
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| Anwar mulls legal action against Utusan, TV3 over Filipino militant link Posted: 02 Mar 2013 03:27 PM PST
Mohd Farhan Darwis, TMI Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim may sue Utusan Malaysia and broadcaster TV3 for linking him to Filipino militants engaged in a deadly clash with police forces in an ongoing Sabah standoff. The opposition leader has directed his lawyer to study yesterday's news reports by the two Umno-controlled media for legal action. "Datuk Seri Anwar (picture) has instructed his lawyer to study the statements... if there is any action, we will inform you," Najwan Halimi, special officer to Anwar, told The Malaysian Insider when contacted last night. Other media reported Anwar, who was speaking at a public rally in Penang last night, as being visibly upset at the allegations, which he said was an attempt to detract attention from genuine concern over national security issues. The PKR advisor was reported by news portal Malaysiakini as telling a 2,000-strong crowd in Seberang Jaya that he had nothing to with the Filipino Muslim clan claiming lineage from the Sulu sultanate that grants them ownership of Sabah. "Even if I met them, what's the issue? Who in the government has never met with Haj Murad Ebrahim, the leader of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front or Nor Misuari?" he asked. Nor Musuari, sometimes spelled Nur Misuari, heads the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), another Filipino Muslim faction seeking autonomy from Manila. "What is important is: was there any discussion or encouragement or tacit approval for the insurgency or the encroachment into our borders?" he was quoted as saying. He denied he had anything to do with the talks, and added he had only issued one statement on the matter, which was directed to the federal government. "The only statement that I issued was to ask them to explain why our borders are so porous, why they took so long, as I think the security of Malaysia cannot be compromised." Malay daily Utusan Malaysia and TV3 had both picked up a news report from the Philippine Daily Inquirer, titled "Philippine govt intel eyes 3 groups abetting Sulu sultan's claim". The Philippine news report on Friday cited unnamed intelligence sources there when reporting that the Malaysian opposition here was allegedly one of three groups that could have backed the Sulu rebels' claim on Sabah. It said that a Philippine intelligence officer pointed to an unnamed individual from the opposition allied to Anwar, adding that the figure was looking to contest a Sabah seat in Election 2013.
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| Defiant Sulu Sultan mocks calls to surrender Posted: 02 Mar 2013 03:00 PM PST
Sultan Jamalul Kiram III says his soldiers will not bow to either Malaysia or to Philippines President Benigno Aquino. (FMT) - KOTA KINABALU: The only man with the power to stop more bloodshed in a remote village in Lahad Datu, Sultan of Sulu Jamalul Kiram III, has mocked the idea of surrender. For him and his armed followers, who are occupying a seaside village called Kg Tanduo, about 160km from Lahad Datu town, averting a looming bloody showdown is dependent on Malaysia acknowledging Sabah as part of the Sulu sultanate and its handover to the Philippines. It is unlikely that he will get his wish. If anything, it is a death warrant for the remaining 224 men dug in at Kg Tanduo and surrounded by heavily armed Malaysian security forces. The sultan's show of defiance came when speaking to a group of journalists in Manila on Saturday even as Malaysia security forces threatened "drastic action" against the group. The ailing Jamalul was quoted as telling dozens of journalists present that the remaining Sulu force in the village would not bow to either Malaysia or to Philippines President Benigno Aquino's order to surrender. The Philippines media reported that Aquino had sent a message to the group cornered in Sabah that said: "surrender now, without conditions." Malaysian police have also told the group to surrender immediately and have closed the door on any concessions or talks. The Philippines Inquirer, an Internet news portal, said the sultan was unmoved by the threat and vowed his men would fight for their right to stay in Sabah. Twelve of the group led by Agbimuddin Kiram, brother of the sultan were killed in a clash with Malaysian police on Friday morning. The Inquirer reported that the sultan in a brief appearance with a local personality told journalist: "The only thing they (the Philippines government) know is surrender. "Why should we surrender in our own home? They did nothing wrong in their own home," it quoted Jamalul as saying in Filipino in reference to Aquino's statement and to his brother in Tanduo. 'We will die in Lahad Datu' It also reproduced a text message from Agbimuddin to his brother early yesterday which read: "After we buried our nine brothers and a sister at sundown, everyone of the 224 left decided to die in Lahad Datu in pursuit of their dreams and aspiration." Of the 224 followers remaining in Agbimuddin's group and said to be armed with M16 and M14 rifles, M16 carbines, M203 grenade launchers and .45 cal. 1911 pistols and knives, seven are said to be women. Abraham Idjirani, spokesperson for the Sulu sultanate, was quoted as telling journalists that the Kirams had decided to put the fate of Agbimuddin and his remaining followers in the hands of Allah and their only wish was to compel a peaceful resolution of the sultanate's claim to Sabah. "This is our long-held aspiration, that Malaysia understand that Sabah is owned by the sultanate of Sulu," Idjirani said, denying claims that Jamalul was angling for an increase in the annual cession payments currently made by Malaysia. "Their father said Sabah is not for sale. It's for the patrimony of the Filipino people," he said.
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| Another group of intruders spotted Posted: 02 Mar 2013 02:57 PM PST
The IGP says the authorities were alerted late Saturday night that at least 10 intruders were seen in Kunak, a small town between Semporna and Lahad Datu. Thomas PI, FMT LAHAD DATU: More armed men have been spotted near here as the stand-off between Malaysian security personnel and followers of the Sulu Sultanate at Kampung Tanduo continues following last Friday's clash which killed two Malaysian commandos and 12 armed intruders. Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar confirmed here that intruders had slipped into two villages in Kunak, a small town between Semporna and Lahad Datu. Ismail said the authorities were alerted late Saturday night that at least 10 intruders were seen in Kunak. "There were sightings of a group of 10 men, three of them were in military fatigues similar to those in Kampung Tandou," he told a press conference in Lahad Datu. He added that security forces have moved in to contain the group within the area. Ismail also revealed that five policemen, one of them an officer, were killed in an ambush by another group of armed intruders in Kampung Sri Jaya, Simunul, Semporna, Sabah, last night. He said two of the armed intruders were also killed. Police have repeatedly said that they have the situation under total control and urged people to remain calm. However, locals living along the Sabah east coast from Semporna up to Sandakan and Kudat on the northern tip are jittery about the fallout from the ongoing stand-off. With wild rumours making the rounds through the social media, the apprehensive mood has spread as far as the west coast of the state. While some in the large Filipino community here, many illegally, appeared nervous, there was little sign business had been affected and the state capital and its outskirts remained crowded and as busy as ever. There has also been reports of an influx of east coast residents into the state capital. Army General Zulkifli Zainal Abidin told the press conference at the media centre some 20km from Tanduo that the armed intruders appeared to be adept in insurgency and have had combat experience. "From our intelligence and observation, their insurgency guerrilla tactics are quite good, I would say," he said. He said that the group had positioned snipers in one area with a large public space.
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| Five Malaysian police killed in Borneo clash Posted: 02 Mar 2013 02:52 PM PST
LAHAD DATU: Five Malaysian policemen died in a fresh clash with gunmen as violence linked to a deadly stand-off with Filipino intruders spread to another area of Borneo island, police said Sunday.
The shootout late on Saturday in the town of Semporna followed a firefight the previous day between Filipino followers of a self-proclaimed sultan and Malaysian security forces that left 12 intruders dead along with two police officers.
An estimated 100-300 Filipinos have been surrounded by Malaysian police and military in the state of Sabah since landing by boat from the Philippines, insisting the area belongs to the heir of a former regional sultanate. - See more at: http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-90561-Five-Malaysian-police-killed-in-Borneo-clash#sthash.nphPDP8x.dpuf(The International News) - LAHAD DATU: Five Malaysian policemen died in a fresh clash with gunmen as violence linked to a deadly stand-off with Filipino intruders spread to another area of Borneo island, police said Sunday. The shootout late on Saturday in the town of Semporna followed a firefight the previous day between Filipino followers of a self-proclaimed sultan and Malaysian security forces that left 12 intruders dead along with two police officers. An estimated 100-300 Filipinos have been surrounded by Malaysian police and military in the state of Sabah since landing by boat from the Philippines, insisting the area belongs to the heir of a former regional sultanate.
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| Posted: 02 Mar 2013 10:28 AM PST
(Philippine Inquirer) - President Benigno Aquino III's order to Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram's men in Sabah to "surrender now with no conditions" is "not acceptable".
As Malaysia threatened to take "drastic action" against intruding followers of the sultan of Sulu on Saturday, President Benigno Aquino III sent a message to the group cornered in Sabah: "surrender now, without conditions." Twelve of the 235 men led by Agbimuddin Kiram, brother of Sultan of Sulu Jamalul Kiram III, were killed in a clash with Malaysian police in the seaside village of Tanduao in Lahad Datu town, Sabah, on Friday morning. Jamalul was unmoved. He appeared briefly with movie actor Robin Padilla, a Muslim convert, before dozens of journalists at his home in Taguig City. "The only thing they know is surrender. Why should we surrender in our own home? They did nothing wrong in their own home," Jamalul said in Filipino, referring to the President's statement and to his brother in Tanduao. Agbimuddin texted the sultan early Saturday saying he and his remaining followers were prepared to die. "After we buried our nine brothers and a sister at sundown, everyone of the 224 left decided to die in Lahad Datu in pursuit of their dreams and aspiration," Agbimuddin said, referring to the burial on Friday evening of his slain followers. The message seemed to be correcting the Sabah police report that 12 of Agbimuddin's followers were killed in the clash with Malaysian policemen. In the hands of Allah There were also reports that among the dead on the side of Agbimuddin were the elderly owner of the house that the Sulu group seized after entering the village on Feb. 9. Abraham Idjirani, spokesperson for the Sulu sultanate, told journalists that the Kirams had decided to put the fate of Agbimuddin and his remaining followers in the hands of Allah. He said Agbimuddin's group went to Sabah to compel a peaceful resolution of the sultanate's claim to Sabah. "This is our long-held aspiration, that Malaysia understand that Sabah is owned by the sultanate of Sulu," Idjirani said. "The sultan is not after an increase in rental because that will benefit only the Kiram family," Idjirani said. "[T]heir father said Sabah is not for sale. It's for the patrimony of the Filipino people." The remnants of Agbimuddin's group were cornered in a smaller area after the 30-minute gun battle that also cost the lives of two Malaysian policemen and injured three others, according to news reports from Malaysia. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on Saturday told reporters that after talking to President Aquino on Friday night, he decided to give Agbimuddin's group two choices: surrender or face the repercussions at the hands of Malaysian security forces. Najib said the window for negotiations was closed, given the hostile stand taken by the group from Sulu. "The Sulu [intruders] have to surrender or they will face the action of our security forces," Najib said after paying his last respects to the two policemen killed by mortar fire during the clash with Agbimuddin's group. Malaysian Inspector General of Police Ismail Omar said Agbimuddin's group must immediately lay down their arms and surrender or face "drastic action." "We have no other options but to take the necessary action to detain them," Omar said. Agbimuddin's group was now "trapped" and faced no alternative but surrender, he said. Presidential message Malacañang did not say what understanding President Aquino and Najib reached, but said the President wanted Agbimuddin and his men to surrender to avoid further bloodshed. Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda read Mr. Aquino's statement addressed to Agbimuddin's group at a hastily called news conference. "To our citizens in Lahad Datu, from the very start our objective has been to avoid the loss of lives and the shedding of blood. However, you did not join us in this objective. Because of the path you have taken, what we have been trying to avoid has come to pass," the President said. "If you have grievances, the path you chose was wrong. The just, and indeed, the only correct thing for you to do is to surrender," he said. "To those who have influence and the capacity to reason with those in Lahad Datu, I ask you to convey this message: surrender now, without conditions," he said. Lacierda did not directly answer a question about the Philippine government pushing away blame if more lives were lost, but said: "The Philippine government has exerted all efforts for a peaceful resolution. We've done that from Day 1. We've said that we've sent emissaries. We have tried our best to deal with them. We have coordinated with Malaysian authorities. What should not have happened did happen yesterday. The best thing for them to do is surrender." Jamalul's daughter, Princess Jacel Kiram, said the President's call to surrender was "not acceptable." Jacel denied Cabinet Secretary Rene Almendras' statement that Justice Secretary Leila de Lima directly contacted the sultanate on Friday night. She said it was someone claiming to represent De Lima who contacted the sultanate, demanding a "categorical statement" from the sultan ordering his followers to come home without conditions. Jacel said government emissaries had contacted the family before and tried to impose terms on them and demanding that their followers withdraw from Sabah. She said what her family wanted was for the government to intercede for them and arrange negotiations with the Malaysian government involving their proprietary claim to Sabah. "We want negotiations, not dictation," she said. Read more at: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/66287/aquino-surrender-order-not-acceptable-kirams
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| Two cops killed in Simunul ambush Posted: 02 Mar 2013 10:25 AM PST
(Borneo Insider) - The death toll in the Semporna shootout between police and armed men, Saturday night has risen to two. Both are policemen and one is at least a sub-inspector. Sabah police chief Hamzaz Taib is now confirming that the Kampung Simpunul shoot-out is related to the Tanduo stand-off. A third policeman is still in critical condition and is warded at the Semporna general hospital. More to come. LAHAD DATU: At least one policeman is believed to have been shot dead, and another critically wounded, when a police raiding party was fired upon as they approached Kampung Simunul, Saturday evening in the hunt for a cache of firearms at one of the houses. But Sabah police chief Datuk Hamzah Taib would only confirm that the two policemen were shot and injured during a shootout with unknown gunmen as they were on the boardwalk heading towards a house. He denied that any police station had been attacked. This was in reaction to unconfirmed reports that the police station at Pulau Bum Bum came under a bomb attack. When met at Felda Sahabat, Tungku, at about 10pm Saturday, Hamza said that a team of policeman had gone to the village in search of several people, following reports that they were in possession of firearms. "The policemen entered the village and were heading towards the suspect's house when they were fired upon and two of our men were injured," was all Hamzah would say. Apart from saying that police have now encircled the village in search of the attackers, he also said "we believe this incident is unrelated to the situation in Tanduo, Lahad Datu," Hamza was in Lahad Datu together with Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein and Inspector General of Police, Tan Sri Ismail Omar, when they immediately left for Tungku just about the same time unconfirmed reports of gunshots and explosions were heard in Semporna and Tawau. They are now believed to be huddled up at the General Operations Force command centre at Felda Sabah Residence in Tungku, close to Tanduo in Sahabat 17 monitoring reports from all over. Read more at: http://borneoinsider.com/2013/03/02/hamza-two-cops-shot-in-simunul-island/
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| Another cop dead; maritime tigthens security Posted: 02 Mar 2013 10:22 AM PST
(Bernama) - Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar comfirmed the incident in Semporna but declined further comments. The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has tightened control in the waters off Lahad Datu, Sabah with the cooperation from security forces, including the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) to face possible threats from the armed intruders from the Philippines. Its director-general Admiral Mohd Amdan Kurish said three maritime vessels and six patrol boats were patrolling in the waters now. "Prior to this, we have three ships patrolling in Lahad Datu, two of them at sea, and the other one on standby. "However, in view with the intrusion issue, we have deployed six MMEA boats based in Sandakan, Sabah to increase control in the waters," he told reporters after the opening of Malaysian Maritime Academy and Training Centre, now known as Sultan Ahmad Shah Maritime Academy (AMSAS) in Gebeng here yesterday. Meanwhile in KUALA LUMPUR, last night, police sources said another member of Malaysian security forces was killed, this time in a firefight with armed intruders in Kampung Selamat, Semporna, about 150km from Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu, Sabah. According to a police source, another police personnel was also injured in the firefight which began at 8pm. It is learnt that the intruders had planned to attack Lahad Datu police station. Lahad Datu and Tawau Police Special Investigation Divisions have been deployed to the scene. Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar when contacted by Bernama confirmed the incident but refused further comment. On Friday, two VAT 69 police commandos, ASP Zulkifli Mamat, 29 and Sergeant Sabarudin Daud, were killed, while three others were injured in a gunfire with the armed intruders in Kampung Tandou. Twelve of the armed intruders were also killed. |
| Malaysia demands surrender of Sulu fighters Posted: 02 Mar 2013 10:18 AM PST
(Al Jazeera) - "Drastic action" warned if Filipino followers of self-proclaimed Sultan of Sulu do not abandon claim to Sabah province. Malaysia threatened to take "drastic action" against intruding followers of a self-proclaimed Filipino sultan who have vowed to dig in after a shootout that killed 14 people. Twelve followers of the little-known Sultan of Sulu and two Malaysian security personnel were killed in Friday's firefight, police said on Saturday, as the more than two-week-old siege in a remote corner of Malaysia turned deadly. Dozens of Filipinos have been holed up on Borneo island, surrounded by a massive Malaysian police and military cordon, since landing by boat from the nearby Philippines to insist the area belongs to their Islamic leader. "We want them to surrender immediately. If they don't, they will face drastic action," Hamza Taib, police chief of the Malaysian state of Sabah where the drama was taking place, said. He declined to provide details of what security forces had in store but his comments echoed growing Malaysian impatience with the situation. In Manila, Philippine President Benigno Aquino also urged the gunmen to surrender immediately. "To those who have influence and the capacity to reason with [the sultan's followers], I ask you to convey this message: surrender now, without conditions," he said in a statement. Resolve 'strengthened' The Filipinos, who are estimated to number between 100 and 300, sailed from their remote islands to press Jamalul Kiram III's claim to Sabah. Kiram, 74, claims to be the heir to the Islamic sultanate of Sulu, which once controlled parts of the southern Philippines and a portion of Borneo. In an immediate response to Aquino's appeal, Kiram's spokesman Abraham Idjirani said the gunmen would remain in Sabah. "We have spoken: It's honour over lives," he said, adding that the deaths of the sultan's followers have "only strengthened our resolve to defend the rights of the Filipino people over Sabah". Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, whose government has been embarrassed by the security breach, said doors for negotiation are closed and urged the gunmen to surrender. "The Sulu rebels have to surrender or they will face the action of our security forces," he was quoted as saying by the Star newspaper. While it is not clear how the firefight erupted, Najib said the two police officers were gunned down after walking into a trap. "I was told some Sulu gunmen had waved the white flag but when the Malaysian forces moved in, they were fired upon instead," he said. Read more and watch the video at: http://m.aljazeera.com/story/20133215544639600
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| Najib will take Malaysia to greater heights, says Dr M Posted: 02 Mar 2013 10:17 AM PST
(Bernama) - Dr Mahathir said the younger generation were less appreciative of what they have for they were not even born when the older generation were struggling to gain independence from the British colonial power. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak will take the country to greater heights if Barisan Nasional is returned to power in the next general election, said former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Dr Mahathir said it was not easy to stabilise a multiracial country for there were many challenges confronting the leaders as well as the people. "This is a multiracial, multireligious, multilingual and multicultural country. As wealth, economic growth and development are shared by each other, it is a challenge for the leaders to manage all this aspects at the same time to ensure stability and peace in the country. "For example, the European crisis has affected Europe and the United States, (the economy of) a lot of countries are not growing, but we are still growing," he said when delivering a talk on "The Future of Malaysian Politics" at the ICCAM Alumni annual dinner here, tonight. He said as most of opposition supporters were from the younger generation who were always hungry for change, the opposition manipulated the word "change". "Since the younger generation is always asking for change, it is easier for the opposition to gain their support because what they need is to promise something new. "But quite often when change takes place we may get something worse," he said. Dr Mahathir said the younger generation were less appreciative of what they have for they were not even born when the older generation were struggling to gain independence from the British colonial power.
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