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Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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• Dr M says he fears PR's promise to remove NEP
• I stand by my accusation, says Saiful
• Lawyers push for answers on Bala’s second statement
• Saiful denies political plot in Sodomy II charge
• More violence as Umno ‘supporters’ attack PKR bus, Anwar
• ‘There was no Sabah referendum’
• Pakatan promises slew of reforms
• Sodomy 2: Anwar innocent, says Saiful’s dad
• We have nothing to hide, says EC
• EC snubbed proof to clean electoral rolls, says Selangor
• The Struggle for Jihad
• KL: No ceasefire, wipe out all militants
• M’sia erects defence line along Sabah east coast
• Filipino Sultan's Quest Sparks Crisis in Malaysia
• Tian Chua: I didn’t say it was an Umno conspiracy
• ZI Publications director charged with publishing, spreading, possessing Irshad Manji's book
• A move in PKR to oust Anwar’s dynasty?
• Malaysia flare-up illustrates volatility
• End blasphemy laws threatening minorities: U.N. faith expert
• LAHAD DATU: Jamalul Kiram III is a fake Sulu sultan, says family insider
• Police Arrest Dozens of “MyKad” Sulu to Gather Info
• Anwar: Lynas plant can operate if safe
• Conspiracy Theories Surround Violence in Sabah
• Anwar: PAS can pursue Islamic laws for Muslims
• Manila trip ‘not linked to Sabah invasion’
• What role did the Scorpene subs play?
• More police reports against Tian Chua’s statement
• MNLF chief warns of ‘chaos’ if Sulu Sultan arrested
• Gov't will defend use of word 'Allah', says Najib
• Philippine intrigue could be behind Sulu incursion, say sources
• Twenty bodies of gunmen recovered after large-scale operations in Sabah: Sources
• 10,000 Tausugs to sail to Sabah
• Anwar mum over Sabah conspiracy allegations
• Government will defend use of ‘Allah’ word, says Najib
• Report: Total defeat for Sulu group in Sabah dawn attack
• Protest against Tian Chua
• PKR to contest 90 seats
• Aquino’s spokesman says all was done to avoid bloodshed in Sabah
• Army begins mopping-up operation
• Malaysian-trained MNLF fighters join Sulu army
• Strike misses Kiram
• ‘Sabah uprising’
• 'No surrender' in Sabah - Kiram
• Wikipedia Page Edited To Describe Sabah As Sultanate’s
• KL sends ‘cavalry’ to Sabah; toll hits 27
• Ground troops moving into Tanduo; air strikes over
• Tortured, Beheaded and Mutilated

Dr M says he fears PR's promise to remove NEP Posted: 08 Mar 2013 04:34 AM PST   (Harakah Daily) - Former UMNO strongman Dr Mahathir Mohamad has shot back at those who scold him for talking politics after retirement, saying he only feared Pakatan Rakyat's policies when it comes to power including its rejection of the New Economic Policy. "When I find that the opposition rejects the NEP, I feel a need to voice my fears for the future of this, my beloved country. "As much as my detractors have a right to object to my continued involvement in politics, I have a right to hold a different view," said Mahathir, the country's longest serving premier, in his latest blog posting. The NEP launched by the late Tun Abdul Razak in 1971 was the controversial plan to reduce the socioeconomic disparity between the Chinese and Malay majorities, whose success has been the subject of debate. PR had repeatedly called for a needs-based policies, saying programmes under the NEP had only enriched cronies of ruling politicians who claim to represent their respective race. Recalling how the government of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had weakened the country, something he said "is still felt today", Mahathir argued that since 2008, the stronger opposition had resulted in "open confrontation" between races, and defended growth plans based on race. "Unfortunately in Malaysia we all insist on becoming identified by our race," he added.

I stand by my accusation, says Saiful Posted: 08 Mar 2013 04:28 AM PST Saiful Bukhari Azlan also criticised Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, claiming the latter was using his father to further his own political agenda. G Vinod, FMT The Sodomy II story has taken another twist with Saiful Bukhari Azlan maintaining that he would stick to his accusation that Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim had sodomised him. "In the name of Allah, my race and Malaysia, I will not budge from my allegation, the statements I made in court and the religious oath I took in a mosque years back, till my death," said Saiful. He said this at a press conference held at his lawyer's office, in response to his father's shocking move this morning. Also present was his lawyer, Zamri Idrus. This morning, Saiful's father, Azlan Mohd Lazim, told in a hastily arranged press conference that Anwar was innocent of the accusation that he had sodomised his son. The 60-year-old retiree also claimed that Saiful was used by unscrupulous people to further their vile agenda. Azlan named Zamri and Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's special officer Khairil Annas Jusoh as being part of the conspiracy. He alleged that the press statements he made in the past were scripted by Zamri, under the instructions of Khairil. A visibly upset Saiful lashed out at Anwar, claiming the latter was using his father to further his political ambitions. "I warn you [Anwar]. Don't use my father to twist the truth, no matter how desperate you are. "But I have faith in Allah. Truth cannot be surpressed in any way," Saiful said, adding that it was the opposition's attempt to divert people's attention from the recent foreign armed intrusion in Sabah. 'Sodomy trial not over' On his relationship with his father, Saiful said that he was close to his father. "I was shocked at what happened this morning. My father was cordial towards me and I just spoke to him last night about his cats," said Saiful, adding that he could not reach Azlan on the phone since this morning. READ MORE HERE

Lawyers push for answers on Bala’s second statement Posted: 07 Mar 2013 07:45 PM PST Clara Chooi, TMI A group of 14 lawyers have filed a motion to the Malaysian Bar calling for an Independent Investigation Committee to be set up to uncover the details surrounding former private investigator P. Balasubramaniam's two sworn statements on the 2006 Altantuya Shaariibuu murder. Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee confirmed with The Malaysian Insider this evening that the motion was filed yesterday, and said its contents will be debated during the Malaysian Bar's annual general meeting this March 16. "Yes, it must be debated. I will respond to the matter during the AGM," the outgoing council president said. He said the council's probe on Balasubramaniam's two statutory declarations (SDs) is still ongoing, but noted that businessman Deepak Jaikishan, who has admitted to knowing the lawyer who drafted the contentious second SD, had declined to help with the investigation. "Yes, he said he will only speak with the council after March 16," Lim said. The Bar Council had announced in January that was investigating the identity of the lawyers and possible misconduct in the drafting of Balasubramaniam's second SD, which the former private eye has said was signed under duress. Deepak recently admitted he had been the one who helped in getting Balasubramaniam to repudiate his earlier statutory declaration on the matter, including getting two lawyers to draft the new statement. The identities of the two lawyers were never made known, however, as Deepak said they had cold feet before a press conference to publicise the sworn statement. In a recent interview, however, Deepak reportedly exposed the name of one of the lawyers, prompting calls on the Bar Council to investigate the possibility of professional misconduct against the lawyer for drafting an SD that was based on allegedly false information. Former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) adviser, Tan Sri Robert Phang, also publicly named renowned lawyer Tan Sri Cecil Abraham as one of those who drafted the document. Noting the events surrounding the two SDs, the group of 14 lawyers said in their motion notice that should Deepak's and Balasubramaniam's claims prove true, the preparation of the second SD "may amount to acts of criminality under the Penal Code including  perjury, giving false information regarding an offence and obstruction of justice under Part XI of the Penal Code". READ MORE HERE

Saiful denies political plot in Sodomy II charge Posted: 07 Mar 2013 07:40 PM PST Ida Lim, TMI Saiful Bukhari Azlan has denied his sodomy complaint against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was a political conspiracy and expressed surprise at his father's claim earlier today. READ: Bapa Saiful ugut untuk dapat wang belanja In a press conference at his lawyer Zamri Idrus' office this evening, Saiful was asked if it was true that the sodomy charge was a political conspiracy against Anwar. "No," replied Saiful, who previously worked with the Opposition leader Saiful similarly replied "No" when asked if a special officer in the prime minister's department was involved in planning the alleged conspiracy, as claimed by his father Azlan Mohd Lazim. READ MORE HERE

More violence as Umno ‘supporters’ attack PKR bus, Anwar Posted: 07 Mar 2013 02:19 PM PST Syed Jaymal Zahiid, TMI Umno supporters were again linked to yet another attack on Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders and their supporters, this time at a ceramah in Bukit Katil, Malacca last night where a scuffle broke out and a bus carrying Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was pelted with rocks. PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution told reporters here last night's violence was the sixth incident, and the second in Malacca, since the federal opposition coalition launched its "Jelajah Merdeka Rakyat (People's Merdeka Tour)" campaign last year. The Machang MP said Anwar was among those who were hit by glass shards when alleged Umno supporters threw rocks at the bus as it was leaving the ceramah. Several PR supporters, including two police officers, were said to have been injured by the scuffle. Videos of the fracas were captured and had been posted on video-sharing site YouTube. PAS's harakahdaily.com posted one video on its site this morning. "KeAdilan views this incident seriously and urges the police to take sterner action towards the violent acts of these goons who are becoming bolder and more aggressive," Saifuddin(picture) said. The incident came amid concerns that violence would erupt at a ceramah in Penang after Umno supporters threatened an attack if PKR vice-president Chua Tian Chang attends. Chua sparked uproar from both sides of the political divide with his statement alleging the Lahad Datu standoff in Sabah, which has claimed the lives of eight police officers, was an Umno conspiracy; some pro-Umno blogs alleged he had described the fallen fighters as "mati katak", a derogatory Malay expression for unnecessary deaths. The PKR leader claimed to have since gotten death threats. He also denied the allegations and threatened to sue his detractors. Today, Saifuddin blamed the police's "soft" response to previous such incidents for the escalating violence, saying their inaction as well as the silence from the Attorney-General's Chambers, had encouraged and emboldened Umno supporters to attack their PR counterparts. "Even though there have been repeated incidents, no legal action has been taken against the thugs," he said. READ MORE HERE

‘There was no Sabah referendum’ Posted: 07 Mar 2013 02:05 PM PST Any talks between Malaysia and the Philippines must include Sabah because only the people of Sabah can decide what they want, says Jeffrey Kitingan. Luke Rintod, FMT KOTA KINABALU: United Borneo Front (UBF) chairman Jeffrey Kitingan has disputed the context of the 1962 referendum which academics and Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak claim confirmed Sabahans' desire to be part of Malaysia. "There has never been a referendum on Sabah as stated by some academics. "In fact, the so-called referendum in 1962-63 was actually only a sampling survey of less than four percent of the Sabah population," he said in response to Najib's comments on Sabah yesterday. Najib said there was no question of Sabah not being within Malaysia. Said Najib: "On the question of polemics of whether Sabah is a part of Malaysia, I want to stress that the issue had been finalised in 1978 and Sabah is a valid region in Malaysia," he said. He said the Cobbold Commission had held a referendum and two-thirds of the people in Sabah agreed to the state being a part of Malaysia. The commission also obtained the recognition of the United Nations. (The Cobbold Commission was set up to find out whether the people of Sabah and Sarawak were agreeable to the proposal to create Malaysia, made up of Malaya, Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak.) But Jeffrey, who also heads the Sabah chapter of the State Reform Party (STAR), said the Malaysia Agreement which incorporated terms of the Cobbold Commission "is yet to be implemented". "Najib must realise that Sabah belongs to the people of Sabah. "Malaysia does not own Sabah as the Malaysia Agreement is yet to be implemented. Sabah is not a piece of lifeless property to be fought over between the Philippines [Sulu claim] and Malaya. "Therefore, any talks between Malaysia/Malaya and the Philippines must include Sabah because only the people of Sabah can decide what they want. "The [Sulu's] Sabah claim, whether valid or not, must be resolved once and fo all by bringing all the relevant parties to the table within the ambitof Britain and the United Nations and find a peaceful solution," he said. READ MORE HERE

Pakatan promises slew of reforms Posted: 07 Mar 2013 01:56 PM PST DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng says if Pakatan comes to power, key institutions like the judiciary will not face government interference. Athi Shankar, FMT Pakatan Rakyat's election promise is that it will free key institutions from government interference. DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said some of these institutions are the judiciary, the Attorney General's Chambers, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and police. He said if Pakatan comes into power he promised reforms to restore integrity and independence to these institutions. Under Pakatan, he said heads of these institutions would be appointed through an advisory process by parliamentary working committees in line with legislature and democratic practices. He said the reform agenda for the institutions formed an integral part of the Pakatan election manifesto launched on Feb 5. He also revealed that Pakatan would enforce a Democracy Restoration Act as part of a process to reverse the many years of democratic rot and neglect under the 56 year Barisan Nasional reign. He pointed out that many current Pakatan leaders had suffered personally and professionally under the BN government. He said that BN had blatantly abused power and misused various state instruments to target and victimise its political opponents. "Given these personal experiences, including my own, I would not want the same instruments to be used against our political opponents when we come to power at the federal level. "Therefore, it is imperative that Pakatan pushes forward aggressively on these electoral and democratic reforms when the goal of winning Putrajaya has been achieved, hopefully in the upcoming 13th general election," Lim said in a blog posting. He assured that an effective parliamentary system would be reinforced to check and balance the executive. READ MORE HERE

Sodomy 2: Anwar innocent, says Saiful’s dad Posted: 07 Mar 2013 01:51 PM PST Saiful Bukhari Azlan's father, Azlan Mohd Lazim, said that his son was used by several unscrupulous people, including a special officer to the prime minister, to fabricate lies against the opposition leader. G Vinod, FMT In a shocking turnaround of event, Saiful Bukhari Azlan's father told a group of selected media today that Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim is innocent of the Sodomy II accusation. In a hastily arranged press conference, Azlan Mohd Lazim,60, said that Anwar was a victim of a vile political conspiracy. "My son was used by several unscrupulous individuals, including Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's special officer, Khairil Annas Jusoh. "These people masterminded the slander against Anwar, using my son," he alleged. Last year, Anwar was acquitted by the Kuala Lumpur High Court on charges of sodomising Saiful, his former aide. The Attorney-General's Chambers appealed against the verdict and the Court of Appeal is scheduled to hear the case on July 22. Azlan, a semi-retiree, said that he had stood by his son's accusation against Anwar in the past to provide moral support to Saiful. "He's my son and I know he is good person but as I was attending his trial in the last four years, I sensed something was amiss. "Some people also gave me evidence which convinced me of Anwar's innocence. As a Malay and a Muslim, I cannot continue being a pawn in this evil scheme of things," he said. 'My conscience is clear' During the question and answer session, Azlan claimed that his previous statements to the media were scripted by his lawyer, Zamri Idrus. "My lawyers prepared my statements, under the instructions of Khairil," he alleged. But he admitted that he has never met Khairil personally but heard about the officer from his son. "The government did not meet me to discuss the case or even ask my opinion. Everything is carefully handled by Khairil," said Azlan. READ MORE HERE

We have nothing to hide, says EC Posted: 07 Mar 2013 11:22 AM PST   (fz.com) - TODAY marks five years since the March 8, 2008 general election, which has been described as a turning point in Malaysian politics.  It saw the ruling coalition losing its two-thirds majority in Parliament for the first time since 1969, in addition to losing control of five states.   Malaysia has not been the same since.   For one, more Malaysians have taken interest in the election process and issues pertaining to it. This has also contributed to the rise of civil societies calling for free and fair elections, including a cleaning up of the electoral roll and introducing reforms to bring about a more transparent election process.   Caught in the middle of it all this and under constant scrutiny is the Election Commission, which is entrusted with regulating and conducting elections in the country.   Amidst accusations from opposition parties and civil society groups that the EC is an ineffective institution that is biased in favour of the federal government run by Barisan Nasional, fz.com approached its chairman, Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof, for a response.   Despite his busy schedule, he made time and amiably received us at his office in Putrajaya. The interview started off in a brisk, business-like manner but as he warmed up to us, he became more animated and firmly stood his ground in maintaining that the EC has nothing to hide.     On Campaign Funds   Did the EC impose rules on spending on campaign funds in 2008? Yes, we did. The candidates were allowed to spend RM100,000 for each state seat and RM200,000 for each parliament seat, and they had to submit details of their expenditure.   But when we asked them for such details, they claimed that their respective party headquarters had funded the printing of posters or dinners.  They only provided us details of their personal expenditure.   So the relevant election law does not cover party expenditure during a campaign? No. The law only mentions the candidate.   Have any initiatives been taken to plug this loophole? The EC does not have the power to audit a candidate or party's expenditure. That power belongs to the Registrar of Societies (ROS).   Will the EC work with the ROS to resolve this issue? Yes, but we need a big enforcement team on the ground for people to conduct checks and audits. We will look into it before the next election because candidates have said that RM200,000 isn't enough. They want to spend RM20 million for a parliamentary seat (laughs). So what is a fair amount?    We also have to decide who is allowed to be a political funder and the maximum the person is allowed to contribute. Right now the only thing that disqualifies them from the next election is if they fail to submit details of their expenditure.     The Use Of Government Resources During Elections   What about the use of government resources, such as government vehicles and personnel, during the campaign period? It is not allowed during the campaign period for campaigning. If it is an official function then it is fine.   What about the use of government resources to campaign now? That is all approved in the Budget, by Parliament. We have no control over what happens outside of the campaign period.   Does this mean that during the campaigning period, even the prime minister cannot use government vehicles? Not for campaigning. If it is for an official function, then yes.   What happens if one were to use an official function to campaign? It is not proper and against the law as they are using official duty to campaign. It has to be separate functions.   How well is this enforced and monitored? It is really hard to monitor the situation throughout Malaysia, but observers can help with it as well. As for enforcing the law, a report has to be made, an investigation has to be done, a charge has to be filed with the court.   In order to charge somebody, you must have sufficient evidence, otherwise it is not easy.   Read more at: http://fz.com/content/we-have-nothing-hide-says-ec

EC snubbed proof to clean electoral rolls, says Selangor Posted: 07 Mar 2013 11:20 AM PST   (The Malaysian Insider) - The Election Commission (EC) refused to entertain Selangor's plea for a joint solution to tackle discrepancies in the state's electoral roll despite available evidence, says the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) state government Faekah Husin, the political secretary to Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim(picture), said the state sent a letter pleading for the EC to discuss its recent findings — that some 28 per cent of the 440,000 newly registered voters in the state cannot be identified. "The least they could do is call us to talk and let us present our findings. You don't even have to say thank you," Faekah told The Malaysian Insider, referring to the state government's initiative to verify the roll through its State Economic Development Unit (UPEN). Khalid told the International Conference on Malaysia's 13th general election here on Monday that the state was told by the EC that it had no authority to clean the list. Faekah said the state government was frustrated by the EC's refusal to co-operate on the matter, saying the move to scrutinise the rolls was not political but a campaign to help the commission in its job to ensure fair elections. "UPEN's work is not political. It was done by the administration and by government officials," she said yesterday. Faekah said the verification process was done thoroughly at grassroots level with organisations like the village development and security committee (JKKK) vetting the lists manually in their respective areas. The data had been collected and compiled for the EC's perusal, she added. The EC, federal ministers and Selangor Umno deputy chief Datuk Seri Noh Omar, who were present at the conference with Khalid on Monday, have been resistant to the state's efforts to verify its electoral roll, a news portal reported. Faekah said the impasse has forced the state's PR lawmakers to take up the matter in court personally but the chances of a positive outcome was highly unlikely since the court proceedings may drag on until elections are called. Election 2013 is expected to be held within weeks. Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/ec-snubbed-proof-to-clean-electoral-rolls-says-selangor/

The Struggle for Jihad Posted: 07 Mar 2013 11:10 AM PST  Versus  (The New York Times) - Two opposing groups battle to define the word jihad on public buses and subways. Watch video at: http://www.nytimes.com/video/2013/03/06/us/100000002095374/defining-jihad.html?smid=tw-nytimes

KL: No ceasefire, wipe out all militants Posted: 07 Mar 2013 10:37 AM PST   (PhilStar) - The sultanate is willing to swap captives with the Malaysian security forces who are in custody of 10 members of the so-called royal sultanate army. Kiram's civilian supporters, according to Idjirani, are in custody of four Malaysian officials.  Malaysia rejected yesterday a ceasefire offer by Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, with the country's defense minister vowing to "destroy all the militants" unless they surrender "unconditionally."  "Don't believe the ceasefire offer by Jamalul Kiram. In the interest of Sabahans and all Malaysians, wipe out all the militants first," Defense Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said on his Tweeter feed. Kiram had declared a unilateral ceasefire at 12:30 p.m., calling for reciprocation from Malaysia, whose armed forces are hunting his armed followers. Kiram sent his followers – mostly Tausugs – from their homes across the Sulu Sea to assert an ancestral claim to Sabah. A major Malaysian offensive last Tuesday left dozens dead. Clashes between the sultan's followers and Malaysian forces have left 60 people dead as of last night, according to Malaysian police chief Ismail Omar. By 3 p.m. Wednesday, he said 32 Filipinos were killed in two confrontations. Eight Malaysian policemen died in earlier skirmishes last week. Jamalul's ceasefire call came after UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged a peaceful resolution to the standoff, considered as Malaysia's biggest security crisis in years. The ceasefire call also coincided with a sudden visit to Sabah by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak to inspect security operations. Najib's government had tried for three weeks to persuade the Filipinos to leave, but launched a military assault Tuesday after they continually refused and engaged security forces in a pair of deadly shootouts. Cessation of hostilities To Malaysia's rejection of his ceasefire offer, Kiram's response was to declare a "cessation of hostilities."   "We are going to declare a cessation of hostilities in positive response to the call of the United Nations and to the reaction of the government of the Federation of Malaysia rejecting the unilateral ceasefire declared by the sultanate of Sulu unless what the Malaysian government said, the militants in Lahad Datu, referring to the Sulu royal forces, will surrender," said his spokesman Abraham Idjirani. "The Malaysian government, in complete rejection of the UN call, demanded that prior to its recognition of this unilateral ceasefire made by the Sultanate of Sulu must surrender the militants to them," he added. "In response to that, the Sultanate of Sulu is now declaring unilaterally a cessation of hostilities." He said a ceasefire should convince Malaysia to stop its assault and sit down for negotiation with the sultanate as encouraged by the UN. "What we are doing is in compliance with the call of the United Nations," Idjirani said, adding that he informed the sultan's brother Agbimuddin of the declaration of "cessation of hostilities" at past 4 p.m. yesterday. Should Malaysia's rejection of the ceasefire offer result in more deaths, the UN would have to take action, Idjirani said. Read more at: http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/03/08/917096/kl-no-ceasefire-wipe-out-all-militants

M’sia erects defence line along Sabah east coast Posted: 07 Mar 2013 10:32 AM PST   (Bernama) - Malaysia has erected a line of defence along the entire east coast of Sabah from Kudat in the north to Tawau in the southeast to prevent any intrusion, especially from the island territories in the southern Philippines. This Special Security Area was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak yesterday following an intrusion by a Sulu militant group in Lahad Datu on Feb 12 which forced Malaysia to launch a military offensive after eight policemen were killed.   "The government will do what it takes to guarantee the security, peace and sovereignty of Sabah. The question of Sabah being within Malaysia should not be disputed by anybody," Najib said after visiting ground zero at Felda Sahabat 16, in Lahad Datu.   The Special Security Area covers Kudat, Tawau, Kunak, Sandakan and Lahad Datu and the government will station five additional battalions comprising the army and police in the area.   In 1972, the government set up the Rajang Area Security Command (Rascom) in Sarawak and successfully defeated the communist terrorist threat in the state.   Rascom covered the areas of Sibu, Kanowit, Oya, Dalat, Bintagor, Sarikei, Julau, Song and Kapit, which were declared a Special Security Area by the then prime minister, Datuk Abdul Razak Hussein.   On Tuesday, security forces launched an aerial assault using F-18 and Hawk fighter aircraft as the first offensive to end the intrusion of the Sulu militants, and the security forces are still engaged in a mopping-up operation there.   Three days after the launch of the offensive, security forces faced pockets of resistance from the militants, and 32 of the intruders were killed in Kampung Tanduo and Tanjung Batu today.   Thirty-one of them were killed in a gun battle at about 11 am in Tanjung Batu and one at 6.45 am in Kampung Tanduo, raising the militant death toll to 52.   The security forces did not suffer any casualties, said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar.   The prime minister said the operation to hunt down the remaining militants would go on and Kuala Lumpur would not entertain any request for a ceasefire so long as the militants did not surrender unconditionally.   He said Malaysia respected the humanitarian principle and gave sufficient time for negotiations with the militants before launching the offensive.   "We gave them three weeks (to negotiate) and postponed (the offensive) four times. We only acted after they killed eight of our men," said Najib, expressing his satisfaction with the outcome of the joint police and army operation.   Philippine media reports today quoted Jamalul Kiram III as asking his men in Lahad Datu to lay down their weapons after several members of the group were killed in an operation by security forces on Tuesday. United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon has proposed that the parties involved in the situation in Sabah come to a peaceful solution.

Filipino Sultan's Quest Sparks Crisis in Malaysia Posted: 07 Mar 2013 10:29 AM PST   (AP) - Many stories of poor Filipinos illtreated by Malaysian authorities in Sabah provided the final straw, Kiram's wife said. "It's good if they were placed in jail," she said. "The problem is they are caned, they are punished and then deported ... we couldn't do anything."  Unlike many other Muslim royalties basking in grand palaces and opulent lifestyles, Sultan Jamalul Kiram III's kingdom sits in a rundown two-story house in a poor Islamic community in Manila, the only hint of power and glory the title attached to his name. "I'm the poorest sultan in the world," the ailing Kiram, 74, told The Associated Press in an interview in his residence in Maharlika village in the Philippine capital. Although largely forgotten and dismissed as a vestige from a bygone era, Kiram's sultanate, once based in the southern province of Sulu, has sparked the biggest security crisis in Malaysia and the Philippines in decades -- early last month, he sent his younger brother with about 200 followers, dozens of them armed, by boat from southern Philippines to a village in Sabah state in neighboring Malaysia to claim the land the sultanate insists belongs to them. A stunned Malaysia, which runs the frontier resource-rich region of timberlands and palm oil plantations as its second-largest federal state, poured in elite police and army troops and called in airstrikes to quell what it saw as an armed intrusion. After weeks of sporadic clashes that killed 19 intruders and eight policemen, troops launched a full-scale assault Tuesday, codenamed "Operation Sovereign," but failed to account for most of the Filipinos, who according to the Kiram family were unhurt. Malaysian forces shot and possibly killed one of the men, who appear to be trying to escape the area, police said. Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said later Wednesday that security forces combing the area found 12 bodies. However, it was not clear if they died in Tuesday's strike or in the previous weeks of clashes. The crisis has tested the neighbors' friendly ties and hit the leaders of both nations at a delicate time politically. The Kirams claim Sabah has belonged to their sultanate for centuries and was only leased to Malaysia, which they say pays them a paltry annual rent of 5,300 Malaysian ringgit ($1,708). Malaysian officials contend the payments are part of an arrangement under which the sultanate has ceded the 74,000 square kilometers (28,000 square miles) of Sabah territory to their country. Philippine presidents have relegated the volatile feud to the backburner despite efforts by the Kirams to put it back to the national agenda. The Feb. 9 Sabah expedition by the sultan's younger brother, Agbimuddin Kiram, and the ensuing violence have resurrected the long-dormant issue with the murky history beyond anybody's expectations. One big obstacle for the Philippines is a number of the Kiram heirs, all claiming to be the rightful sultan. That put the government in a quandary on who to deal with for the Sabah claim to be pursued, historian Manolo Quezon IIII said. Overrun by history, the Kirams carry royal titles and nothing much else. "When I was a child, I thought 'princess' was just my name because when you're a child, your idea of being a princess is one with a crown, a palace, a carriage," said Jacel Kiram, a 35-year-old daughter of the sultan, who is regarded a princess. At his Maharlika village home, the sultan, who has failed kidneys and a heart ailment, struggled with slurred speech to proudly recount the saga of his clan's empire based in the Sulu archipelago in the southern Philippines. Chinese and European leaders, he said, once sent vassals to pay homage to his powerful forebears. The Sulu sultanate, which emerged in the 1400s, preceded both the Philippine republic and Malaysia by centuries. The exploits of the sultanate's native Tausug warriors were so legendary, the Brunei sultan at the time sought their help in putting down a rebellion in the 1600-1700s. When the uprising was crushed, the Brunei sultan handed over Sabah — then part of Brunei — to his Sulu counterpart as a gift of gratitude. A Filipino sultan later leased Sabah to a British colonial-era company. The territory was later annexed by Britain. In 1963, six years after colonial Malaya gained independence, Sabah voted to join the new Malaysia. The Sulu sultanate had steadily declined through the centuries, its power passed on to a succession of leaders and heirs. Jamalul Kiram III is the 33rd sultan and a symbolic leader with followers in Sulu and nearby southern provinces, which are among the country's poorest and are troubled by Muslim rebels, al-Qaida-linked extremists and outlaws. Born in Sulu's far-flung Maimbung town in 1938, Kiram is a beloved leader who in his youth turned to dance and singing and played sports, including his favorite, tennis. He once worked as a disc jockey in a Jolo radio station. He took up law but failed to take the bar exams when he joined a prominent cultural dance group in the 1960s, according to his wife, Fatima Celia. He also ran for senator in 2007, backed by former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo — a tacit recognition of his sultanate leadership — but lost, leaving his family in debt due to the high campaign expenses, she said. Last year, the sultan was diagnosed with failed kidneys and began to receive dialysis treatment, causing family members to miss out on monthly payments for their house, which they nearly lost had friends not helped out, Celia said. Since then, Kiram has mostly been sidelined to his bedroom, which resembles a hospital unit with two oxygen tanks and serves as an office where he met visitors and followers seeking all sorts of help. In his younger years, Kiram said he traveled often to Sabah. "It's really very rich," he said of Sabah. "When I'm in Sabah, I feel at home." Read more at: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/filipino-sultans-quest-sparks-crisis-malaysia

Tian Chua: I didn’t say it was an Umno conspiracy Posted: 06 Mar 2013 03:14 PM PST The PKR vice-president does a U-turn and states that his controversial statement of an 'Umno conspiracy' referred to the media blackout. Anisah Shukry, FMT PKR vice-president Tian Chua today denied claiming the shootout in Lahad Datu was an Umno conspiracy, contradicting what was published in PKR organ KeadilanDaily on March 1. The KeadilanDaily article "Insiden tembakan di Lahad Datuk Konspirasi terancang Umno – Tian" (Shooting incident in Lahad Datu a planned conspiracy by Umno – Tian) sparked intense outrage among the public, who have taken to the streets as well as lodged police reports over Tian Chua's alleged statements. But Tian Chua stressed today the headline was not his own words and did not reflect his beliefs, urging the public to instead focus on the direct quotes published in the article, which is available online. "When I told the reporter I believed there was a conspiracy by the Umno government, I was referring only to the media blackout, and the fact that pro-Umno bloggers were claiming the opposition was behind the armed incursion in Sabah," Tian Chua, the Batu MP, said at a press conference here today. "When [the reporter] asked me about the shooting, I told the reporter: 'don't speculate, there has been no confirmation'. [This is because] it was 12pm at that time, and there was no news from Malaysian media [on Lahad Datu]." Lending credence to Tian Chua's denial is the fact that not one of his quotes in the article referred to the shootout itself. His three quotes in the article are: "We feel that it is strange that the Malaysian media did not report the incident. All sources of reports are from foreign media. "Where did they get the info when there are no media representatives allowed to cover it? In fact, we don't know how true the news that has been reported is. "There is a conspiracy by the Umno government to divert the Sabahans' attention, especially in the issue of ICs being distributed to Sabahans." But the article's headline as well as contents led readers to believe his quote on the "Umno conspiracy" was a direct reference to the shootout last Friday, in which two policemen and 12 armed intruders were killed. While Tian Chua today stopped short of calling the KeadilanDaily article misleading, he stressed that he was not responsible for how the editors had written the story. "That's always the case; I am only responsible for my direct quotes. It is the rights of the editor to arrange the news as they wish." He also said he stood by his position that the finger-pointing and media blackout were an Umno conspiracy, and hence refused to apologise over the matter. On Tuesday, Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor had sent a letter of demand for Tian Chua to apologise to the party or risk legal action. Responding to this, Tian Chua said: "The issue of apologising does not exist because I never insulted anyone. I wish to go to court and clarify this. I believe the judge is intelligent enough to read the article and know what I mean." READ MORE HERE

ZI Publications director charged with publishing, spreading, possessing Irshad Manji's book Posted: 06 Mar 2013 02:05 PM PST (The Star) - The director of ZI Publications was charged in a Lower Syariah Court here with three counts of publishing, spreading and possessing the controversial Irshad Manji's book in last year. Mohd Ezra Mohd Zaid (pix), 30, however, claimed trial to the three alternative charges before Syarie judge Saharuddin Selamat on Thursday. He was alleged to have committed the offence at ZI Publications in Merchant Square in Jalan Tropicana Selatan 1 here in May, last year. The prosecution was led by Selangor Syarie prosecution chief Abdul Shukor Abdul Hamid while Mohd Ezra was represented by Syarie counsel Zulkifli Che Yong. The court later fixed May 9 for mention.

A move in PKR to oust Anwar’s dynasty? Posted: 06 Mar 2013 01:40 PM PST A former aide of PKR women chief Zuraida Kamaruddin had allegedly written a letter to the PAS president, urging the latter to pressure PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail to step down. G Vinod, FMT A handwritten letter published on Malaysia Today website yesterday suggests that there is a move in PKR to oust its supremo Anwar Ibrahim's family before the general election. Claiming to be PKR women chief Zuraida Kamaruddin's former political secretary, Mohd Fareez Kamal Intidzam, 24, urged PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang to save the opposition pact from PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and its vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar. Fareez alleged that Wan Azizah and Nurul wanted to destroy his career as he was "close" to Anwar. He also claimed to be working for Anwar as his private secretary for international affairs since 2008. "The duo wants to eliminate anyone close to Anwar as they are jealous. As PAS president, only you (Hadi) can pressure Wan Azizah to quit her post before the 13th general election," he said. He also said that Wan Azizah's departure would not make much difference because the former Permatang Pauh MP cannot contest for a parliamentary seat in the coming election anyway. "What's the point being a party president when you can't contest for a parliamentary seat? This is an embarassment to Pakatan Rakyat," said Fareez. The former aide to Zuraida also heaped praises on PKR deputy president Azmin Ali and called him a man of calibre. Being a capable leader, Fareez said that Azmin would ensure Pakatan's victory in the general election. "He's a wholesome leader, unlike Wan Azizah who is just a proxy and pretends to not know anything happening around her," he said. A copy of the letter was sent to DAP chairman Karpal Singh. 'Tired of accusations' Meanwhile, a source close to Zuraida confirmed that Fareez used to work for the MP but quit before 2008. However, the source could not recall when Fareez left his post. "I only know him professionally. In terms of work, Fareez can deliver as instructed," said the source. READ MORE HERE

Malaysia flare-up illustrates volatility Posted: 06 Mar 2013 12:06 PM PST   (Today Online) - Stand-off might also point to dangers of other, perhaps larger flashpoints in region: Analysts Malaysia's move to launch air strikes and send in ground troops to flush out an armed Filipino Muslim clan from a coastal village in the eastern state of Sabah illustrates how border tensions across Asia can flare up in unpredictable ways. Such conflicts threaten the stability that has helped underpin decades of economic growth, potentially complicating the United States' bid to step up its military and diplomatic influence in a region where China exerts growing sway. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak ordered Tuesday's dawn assault after some 200 Filipinos claiming to be descendants of the defunct sultanate of Sulu dumbfounded Malaysia by sailing from the nearby southern Philippines to revive a 350-year-old claim on Sabah. At least 27 people have been killed in clashes between the armed intruders and Malaysian security forces. "Operations are still ongoing," Malaysia's armed forces chief, General Zulkifeli Zin, told reporters yesterday. "It's not going to be easy because we have a big area to cover. Nevertheless, we are able to contain them so far in an area of approximately four square kilometres." Mr Najib struck an uncompromising tone as the operation got under way earlier in the day. "For our sovereignty and stability, we will not allow even an inch of Malaysian territory to be threatened or taken by anyone," he said. The nearly month-long stand-off is disrupting palm oil exports from Sabah, which produces 30 per cent of Malaysia's output. Further violence could unnerve foreign investment in the state as well as damage Mr Najib's chances in a general election due to be held by June. The Filipinos appear to be standing firm on their claim. Abraham Idjirani, a spokesman for self-declared Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, told reporters the group would continue to fight for Sabah, which they say was granted to Mr Kiram's family by the Sultan of Brunei in the 17th century. Philippine officials have urged the group to return home. "We've done everything we could to prevent this, but in the end, Mr Kiram's people chose this path," government spokesman Ricky Carandang said. Some analysts say the stand-off should not have come as a surprise given the region's historical ties, and that it might also point to the dangers of other, perhaps larger flashpoints elsewhere in the region. Ms Glenda Gloria, a Manila-based author and historian, noted that residents of the Philippines' Muslim provinces frequently travelled back and forth between Malaysia and Indonesia, trading and speaking a similar language before European and American colonisers introduced national boundaries. Many Muslim Filipinos sought sanctuary in Sabah in the '70s and '80s while fighting a separatist war against late dictator Ferdinand Marcos' government. "Sabah was always part of their real—and imagined—community," Ms Gloria said, pointing out that migrants from the southern Philippines now living in modern-day Sabah often refer to themselves as Suluks rather than Filipinos. There are similar problems in other parts of South-east Asia. In 2008 and 2011, Thailand and Cambodia fought brief border wars that claimed scores of lives and strained relations between the two countries. The cause: A dispute over which country should control a Buddhist temple after France decades ago demarked the border between the countries. Papuan separatists in eastern Indonesia, meanwhile, are fighting to break away from central rule in Jakarta, while an ethnic-Malay Muslim insurgency in southern Thailand has killed more than 5,000 people since 2004 as guerrillas rebel against the annexation of the old Pattani sultanate by what was then Siam in 1902. Dr Farish Noor, a professor at Nanyang Technological University, argued that in many instances, these conflicts are caused by old customs butting up against arbitrary modern national boundaries. "We South-east Asians are caught between a fluid region and a hard state," he said. Read more at: http://www.todayonline.com/world/asia/malaysia-flare-illustrates-volatility

End blasphemy laws threatening minorities: U.N. faith expert Posted: 06 Mar 2013 12:03 PM PST Security officials surrounding Rimsha Masih, (C, green scarf) a Christian girl accused of blasphemy, move her to a helicopter after her release from Adyala jail in Rawalpindi September 8, 2012.  (Reuters) - Countries should repeal all laws punishing blasphemy and people who leave a faith, the United Nations' top expert on freedom of religion said on Wednesday, thrusting himself into a debate between many in the Muslim world and the West. Legislation outlawing apostasy - the act of changing religious affiliation - and insults against religious figures could be used to violate the rights of minorities, Heiner Bielefeld said in a report to the U.N. Human Rights Council. The comments from the United Nations' special rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief came amid heightened focus on faith-based laws in countries like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, where blasphemy carries the death penalty. "States should repeal any criminal law provisions that penalize apostasy, blasphemy and proselytism, as they may prevent persons belonging to religious or belief minorities from fully enjoying their freedom of religion or belief," he said in the report. Rights campaigners say the blasphemy law in Pakistan is widely used against religious minorities, including Christians, Ahmadis and more recently Shiah Muslims, usually on flimsy pretexts. The posting of an amateurish U.S.-made video mocking the Prophet Mohammad, and the publication of caricatures of him in France last year led to violent protests and renewed calls from the Muslim world for a global law against blasphemy. Read more at: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/06/us-un-religion-rights-idUSBRE9251LV20130306

LAHAD DATU: Jamalul Kiram III is a fake Sulu sultan, says family insider Posted: 06 Mar 2013 11:47 AM PST   (Bernama) - Jamalul Kiram III, who is masquerading as the sultan of Sulu and whose followers have intruded into Sabah and killed Malaysian police personnel, cannot lay claim to the defunct title, according to a source familiar with the goings-on in the family. It is, therefore, wrong for him to assert to be the heir to the last sultan of Sulu, Jamalul Kiram II, who died in 1936. Jamalul Kiram III was never a legitimate descendant of the nine "rightful heirs" of Jamalul Kiram II that was drawn up in the 1939 'Macaskie Judgement' to be eligible to receive cession payments, following the ceding of Sabah, then known as North Borneo, to the British North Borneo Company (BNBC). The source, who has indepth knowledge of the Sulu "sultanate" household and its history, stressed that according to the family tree, although Jamalul Kiram III was a member of the household, he was never a descendent of the nine principal heirs who had the right to the cession payments. "When Jamalul Kiram II died in 1936, he left no direct heir, and BNBC also stopped the cession payments. So, the nine had gone to court as a group to recognise their right to receive the annual payment," the source said. In 1939, the Chief Justice of the High Court of North Borneo, Justice Macaskie, ruled in the heirs' favour and the annual payment resumed. The Malaysian Government has continued with the payment, following the formation of the federation. In 2011, descendants of the nine principal heirs to Jamalul Kiram II obtained an order from a Sulu court to recognise them as the legitimate direct descendents to the nine principal heirs. This second generation of the heirs are Dayang Dayang Piandao Taj-Mahal Kiram-Tarsum Nuqui, Putli Nurhima Kiram-Forman, Siti Ayesha K.H Sampang, Sulatan Fuad A. Kiram, Dayang-Dayang Sheramar T. Kiram, Princess Permaisuri Kiram Guerson and Sitti Jenny K.A Sampang. "As such, he (Jamalul Kiram III) cannot claim to be an heir or descendent of any of the nine principal heirs," the source contended.

Police Arrest Dozens of “MyKad” Sulu to Gather Info Posted: 06 Mar 2013 11:42 AM PST   (Borneo Insider) - Among those hauled up for questioning and interrogation is the son of Rajah Mudah Abjimuddin Kiram, the leader of the Sulu Raiders who held security forces to a three-week stand-off at Tanduo, before fleeing to safer ground. Others include the information chief of a local political party as well as uniformed personnel.    13 bodies of Tanduo raiders recovered, mop-up exercise on-going; fighting in Labian; Four arrests in Semporna; one intruder killed in Labian; Lok Kawi camp fired at; Abjimuddin said to have escaped and very alive By THE BORNEO INSIDER TEAM A Malaysian army helicopter flies in Cenderawasih near the area where the stand-off with Filipino gunmen and Malaysian security forces was taking place in Tanduo village on Tuesday. Malaysian security forces launched an assault on supporters of the Sultanate of Sulu engaged in a three-week incursion that has left 27 people dead. TANDUO, FELDA SAHABAT, LAHAD DATU: Relatives of the Sulu Sultan's family are said to be among dozens of people who have been hauled up by the police over the last two weeks on suspicion that they are sympathisers of the so called Sulu Royal Army. Among those hauled up for questioning and interrogation is the son of Rajah Mudah Abjimuddin Kiram, the leader of the Sulu Raiders who held security forces to a three-week stand-off at Tanduo, before fleeing to safer ground. Others include the information chief of a local political party as well as uniformed personnel – though earlier the IGP had denied that security people had been detained for allegedly providing the "other side" with classified information. Police remain tight-lipped about the arrests but at least four men have been transferred to police headquarters in Kepayan to be interrogated. The photo of a policeman was also posted by unidentified sources on Facebook, branding him a traitor. On Tuesday night, villagers near Kembarabudi in Felda Sahabat area said police also detained eight people in a blue van as they were driving out of the Tanjung Labian area which was about 5kms away along the coastline to Tanduo village which was bombed earlier in the day. The villagers claimed that among those detained could be a son of Abjimuddin, and a woman who could also be related to the Kirams. Residents leave their village in Tanjung Labian near Tanduo, where Malaysian forces launched an assault on Filipino gunmen, bombing the village followed by a ground assault by troops. Tanduo villagers, who fled upon the first landing of the Sulu group on Feb 9, have said that Abjimuddin and his top lieutenant known as "Musa'' a former Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) commander, were related to local village leaders through marriage. Abjimuddin, a soft-spoken person was also once the former assistant district officer of Kudat in the early 1970s – though he used a different name then – and his family has a long list of relatives living mainly in Lahad Datu, Semporna and Sandakan  Read more at: http://borneoinsidermirror.wordpress.com/2013/03/06/breaking-news-fresh-shooting-in-labian/

Anwar: Lynas plant can operate if safe Posted: 06 Mar 2013 05:54 AM PST (The Sydney Morning Herald) - Malaysia's opposition leader promises that if he wins power he'll put the the controversial Australian-owned Lynas plant in Kuantan on hold but allow it to reopen after a favourable review. Malaysia's Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has pledged to back Australian miner Lynas operating a controversial rare earths processing plant, if a new public inquiry proves it to be safe. Earlier he had demanded the plant's closure. Dr Anwar confirmed that if he won power, he would fast-track the inquiry but until then he would move quickly to shut the plant near the coastal town of Kuantan, 194 kilometres north-east of Kuala Lumpur. "I am not prepared to risk the safety of people in and around Kuantan," he said, adding he was not anti-development. Analysts say that in elections due to be called within weeks Dr Anwar's three-party opposition alliance has a chance of toppling the Barisan Nasional coalition government that has ruled Malaysia since the country gained independence from Britain 55 years ago. The government has backed the $US800 million ($A782 million) plant, built to process rare earths from Lynas' Mount Weld mine in Western Australia, saying it complies with Malaysian and international laws and standards. But the plant has faced strong opposition from activists in a group called Save Malaysia Stop Lynas (SMSL), which has drawn nationwide support through internet and social media campaigns and street protests. The clash is set to be a key issue in the most closely fought election in Malaysia's history. Dr Anwar said in an interview he has "reason to believe" the concerns of many people about environmental consequences of the plant, built in a swampy area next to a tidal river, about three kilometres from the South China Sea. He said he did not trust government agencies that approved the plant because of reported birth defects and leukaemia among residents near a rare earths refinery built by Japan's Mitsubishi in Malaysia's Perak state 1982, which has since closed. But a spokesman for Sydney-based Lynas said the Perak plant used waste from tin mining as its raw material, which contained high levels of thorium, the source of high levels of radiation. The Lynas process was different. "By all international standards, the Lynas raw material is classified as safe, non-toxic and non-hazardous," he said. Dr Anwar said he would offer the company and others the opportunity to testify before any inquiry. He would also seek to involve world experts on rare earths that are used to make high-tech products such as smartphones, iPods, flat-screen televisions, hybrid cars and missiles. "If Lynas can come out with a convincing argument there is no risk to people's safety and security I will be the first to champion the plant there," Dr Anwar said. Asked about Dr Anwar's pledge to set up an inquiry, the Lynas spokesman said the plant had already been subjected to numerous independent reviews, including by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the world's pre-eminent authority on radiation safety. "Lynas is dedicated to zero harm. Care and wellbeing of our people and the communities in which we operate is at our core," the spokesman said. In Kuantan, a seaside town popular with holidaymakers, anti-Lynas activists claim about 80 per cent of residents oppose the plant but no polling has been done. A four-metre-high fence surrounds the 100-hectare Lynas site at the edge of an 8600-hectare petro-chemical industrial park. Construction of the plant was completed last year. Waste water from the plant runs into mangroves where Syed Salikin, 47, goes fishing for crabs almost every day. "We don't know much about Lynas but I fear it will be dangerous for us," Mr Syed said, holding one of his day's catch. "I am afraid the river will be contaminated. I am not so worried about myself but I am worried this will affect my children and grandchildren." Rumours swirl around the town about problems at the plant, fuelled in part by a report last month by Germany's Oeko-Institute, commissioned by the Save Malaysia Stop Lynas organisation. It said the plant's design has several deficiencies, including with storage facilities that could allow radioactive and toxic wastes to leak into the ground and ground water. But Lynas said the institute did not contact the company during its preparation of the report and it was not given an opportunity to review it before its release. The well-funded SMSL group has been embroiled in legal action aimed at blocking Lynas' temporary operating licence while Lynas is suing seven SMSL directors for defamation. An appeal to seek leave before the Malaysian Federal Court is pending, frustrating efforts by Lynas to see off a final legal challenge. Bastian Vendargon, a barrister for SMSL, said the directors being sued were mostly retired teachers and public servants who faced losing their houses and savings if Lynas won the case. "They are obviously very worried about their future," he said. Andan Sura Rabu, a candidate for Kuantan in state elections for an Islamic party in Dr Anwar's alliance, said he was campaigning on the promise the plant would be shut and opened only "if the public can be convinced it is safe''. "Why bring this dangerous material all the way from Australia to be processed here .. . why not process it in your desert?" he said.

Conspiracy Theories Surround Violence in Sabah Posted: 05 Mar 2013 06:53 PM PST Mong Palation, The Diplomat Philippine President Benigno Aquino and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak smell conspiracy behind the decision by some 200 armed followers of Jamalul Kiram, the self-proclaimed Sultan of Sulu, to occupy parts of Lahad Datu in Sabah. Although Sabah is part of the Malaysian Federation, the Sulu Sultanate in the southern Philippines has claimed the state as its own. There are an estimated 800,000 documented and undocumented Filipinos residing in Sabah.  Kiram's armed followers arrived in Lahad Datu on February 9 and vowed not to leave until the sultanate's claim is settled. After waiting three weeks for the private soldiers to surrender voluntarily, the Malaysian armed forces launched ground and air strikes yesterday. According to reports, as many as 8 Malaysians and 19 Filipinos have been killed in the fighting over the past week.  The death of Filipinos in Sabah may have forced Aquino to appear on national television to defend the Philippine government's refusal to support the "hopeless cause" of Kiram's followers. Aquino also hinted that his government is building a case against certain "persons of interest" who might have provoked the Sultan of Sulu to order his men to occupy Lahad Datu.   In a press conference on March 4, Aquino said: "We are aware that there are those who conspired to bring us to this situation – a situation that has no immediate solutions. Some of their identities are clear to us, while others continue to skulk in the shadows. The family of Sultan Jamalul Kiram could not possibly have settled on this course of action alone." Aquino added that the government is verifying reports suggesting the involvement of people connected to the administration of former President Gloria Arroyo. He warned, "To the people who are behind this, even now, I tell you: you will not succeed. All those who have wronged our country will be held accountable." Meanwhile, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is suspicious about the timing of the Sabah incursion, which took place just as Malaysian political parties are preparing for general elections due in June. Some opposition figures have been accused of instigating the crisis by encouraging Kiram to take drastic action in Sabah in exchange for autonomy once the opposition coalition grabs power this year.  The opposition rejected the charge and turned the tables back on Najib and the ruling party. The opposition accused Najib's government of launching a full-scale attack against the so-called Royal Sulu Army to divert attention from the army's failure to protect the country's borders. They also accused the ruling coalition of exploiting the issue to win the support of Malaysian voters – especially in Sabah where the opposition is slowly making inroads.  The timing of the violence in Sabah – during election season in both Malaysia and the Philippines – has created an atmosphere in which everything that political actors involved in the drama say or do can be reduced to an election stunt. In normal circumstances, conspiracy theories can be readily dismissed. The picture is blurred, however, when the sources of such theories are no less than the president and prime minister of two neighboring countries. There may well be conspirators and traitors in the two countries and arrests might soon take place. But the Sabah dilemma won't easily go away. Conspiracy or not, the lesson is that it's no longer acceptable for Malaysian and Filipino politicians to deliberately avoid tackling the issue of Sabah ownership. Perhaps the time has come to settle this debate once and for all. The escalating violence in Lahad Datu should embolden the leaders of both countries to work out a lasting solution to this persistent problem.  Should they fail to do so, there appears to be no lack of those who would continue to ignite the dispute in Sabah to advance their own interests.

Anwar: PAS can pursue Islamic laws for Muslims Posted: 05 Mar 2013 06:04 PM PST The opposition leader says this in an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald but insists that no one will be compelled to pursue any belief or religion. In an interview with the Australian newspaper's Southeast Asia correspondent Lindsay Murdoch, Anwar said that under Pakatan Rakyat's rule, PAS would be allowed to pursue the Syariah system for Muslims, which was a sensitive issue in Malaysia. G Vinod, FMT Critics have always accused Anwar Ibrahim of being inconsistent with his stand on Islamic issues, especially pertaining to PAS' aspirations. While the opposition leader gives the impression to some that he is committed to Malaysia being a secular state, he however told the Sydney Morning Herald otherwise. In an interview with the Australian newspaper's Southeast Asia correspondent Lindsay Murdoch, Anwar said that under Pakatan Rakyat's rule, PAS would be allowed to pursue the Syariah system for Muslims, which was a sensitive issue in Malaysia. On the same note, he also said that a government helmed by him would allow freedom of expression and religion. The move, he said, would allow Muslims to enforce the Syariah-based legal system. "I have very strong Islamic traditions. I think we should carefully consider and promote these positive values," said Anwar. But he added that Pakatan has agreed that no one would be compelled to pursue any religion and no one would be stopped from expressing their views or religious convictions. However, the video recording of the interview did not show Anwar mentioning Syariah or PAS' Islamic state agenda. Last year, Anwar courted backlash from many quarters, including his ally DAP, for saying he supported the implementation of Hudud laws in principle. Later, Pakatan leaders unanimously agreed that the Islamic penal code would not be implemented if the opposition pact wins the general election as it is not part of their Common Policy Framework. Tweaking the NEP Anwar, a former deputy prime minister, also told the Australian press that he would dismantle discriminative economic policies and replace them with ideas that would propel the Malaysian economy to greater heights. "We would maintain the affirmative action policy but tweak it to become a need-based policy," he said. READ MORE HERE

Manila trip ‘not linked to Sabah invasion’ Posted: 05 Mar 2013 03:32 PM PST Anisah Shukry, FMT PKR MPs Tian Chua and R Sivarasa's Feb 7 trip to Manila was unrelated to the Royal Sulu Sultanate army's intrusion into Sabah, Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim said today. He stressed that the two MPs had visited Manila to obtain information on Manuel Amalilo, whose deportation to the Philippines was blocked by Malaysian authorities on Jan 25. Amalilo is wanted in the Philippines for allegedly scamming 15,000 Filipinos of RM859 million under a company known as Aman Futures Group. "Their visit was about Amalilo, the relative of Sabah Chief Minister [Musa Aman] and Foreign Minister [Anifah Aman], who has been labelled by President Benigno Aquino as a criminal," Anwar told reporters in response to a question. "The Philippine government wants Malaysia to send Amililo back so that it can continue [its] investigations…Why are we giving him protection? "So when this issue emerged, Sivarasa and Tian Chua went to Manila to get information, in order to avoid any slander. It was to get clear information and confirmation of Amalilo's scam." Upon their return to Malaysia, Sivarasa and Tian Cua had told a press conference on Feb 19 that the prime minister must deport Amalilio as soon as possible. Sivarasa said that, based on his checks with the Philippines, Amalilio was holding a genuine Filipino passport as well as a Malaysian passport, hence proving the latter held a dual citizenship. "Article 24 of the Federal Constitution stipulates that if a person conducts in an act to obtain another citizenship, he or she will lose their Malaysian citizenship automatically," the Subang MP had said. But pro-Umno bloggers have speculated that the two visited Manila to meet an agent of the self-styled Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram, who is behind the armed incursion in Sabah. The rumours come in the wake of unnamed Philippine intelligence sources reportedly saying that a leader from the Malaysian opposition had encouraged the Royal Sulu Sultanate army to attack Sabah, prompting Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to initiate investigations into the claims. But both Anwar and Jamalul have repeatedly denied links to one another, and the former has initiated legal action against Utusan Malaysia and TV3, which carried the reports.

What role did the Scorpene subs play? Posted: 05 Mar 2013 03:25 PM PST Suaram director Kua Kia Soong questions the strategy used against the Sulu intruders in Lahad Datu. K Pragalath, FMT Suaram director Kua Kia Soong has questioned the strategy used by the armed forces in Lahad Datu. "What role did the Scorpene submarines play in the Lahad Datu crisis? "Is it wise to use jet fighters like the Hornets against a motley group of 250 Sulu men in a 4km radius? Shouldn't we be using helicopters such as the Apache instead? "Where was the Navy to prevent the invaders from coming in?" he asked during the launch of Malaysian civil society's 20-point demands for the 13th general election at the Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall this morning. The armed conflict in Lahad Datu began last month when a large group of Sulu men claiming to be soldiers of the Sulu sultan invaded a village in Lahad Datu. Last week, several policemen who were deployed to Lahad Datu died as a result of mortar attacks by the Sulu men who are from the modern day Philippines. Yesterday, the Royal Malaysian Air Force conducted air bombardment in the area where the Sulu were believed to be holding up using Hornet jet fighter planes. Kua also questioned why the policemen deployed there were not equipped with bulletproof vests and safety helmets. He said this while presenting one of the 20-point demand in light of the upcoming 13th general election The demand pertaining to the defence sector called for defence cuts and promotion of peace and disarmament. The demand also called for defence budgets to be below 1% of the Gross Domestic Product, a parliamentary defence committee led by an opposition lawmaker and an independent Ombudsman to oversee the defence budget. It also called for National Volunteer Corp's (RELA) power to arrest, detain and carry firearms to be abolished since the police are empowered to do that. On another note, A Jayanath of Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia (SABM) elaborated on the demand to eradicate institutionalised racism. He called for education and economic policies to be based on need not race with priority to indigenous, marginalised, and poor communities. "The New Economic Policy (NEP) must be abolished since it has already ended in 1990. Abolishing something that has ended is not lofty," he said when asked by the press. The NEP was tabled in 1971 as a result of the May 13, 1969 clashes with dual prong objectives to end poverty and abolish income inequality. "Poverty and income inequality are getting worse," Jayanath said. READ MORE HERE

More police reports against Tian Chua’s statement Posted: 05 Mar 2013 02:54 PM PST Demonstrations were also held against the PKR vice-president for allegedly policising the Lahad Datu tragedy. (Bernama) - Numerous police reports have been lodged by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and political parties against PKR vice-president Tian Chua for allegedly politicising the intrusion tragedy in Lahad Datu, Sabah. In PERLIS, Kangar police received 19 reports against Tian Chua lodged by various NGOs and political parties yesterday. About 150 members of the political parties and the NGOs also staged peaceful demonstration in front of the police headquarters condemning Tian Chua with their placards and banners. In PENANG, seven NGOs, including Malay rights group Perkasa, Federation of Peninsula Malay Students (GPMS), Malaysian Missionary and Welfare Association (Pekida), as well as Malaysian Silat Federation (Pesaka) also lodged police reports against Tian Chua at the Timur Laut police headquarters. Three other NGOs, namely Barat Daya Ex-Servicemen Association, Balik Pulau Single Mothers Association and Balik Pulau Umno Youth and Wanita, on the other hand, called on the police to carry out thorough investigation on the PKR leader. In KELANTAN, over 100 contractors from Tumpat branch of the Association of Malay Contractors of Malaysia staged a peaceful demonstration in front of Tumpat Unity Complex, condemning the statement made by Tian Chua. In MALACCA, about 150 residents in Alor Gajah, including members of several NGOs, also gathered peacefully for about 30 minutes at Dataran Keris, urging Tian Chua to make a public apology for his statement. They also carried banners and placards with the words "Jangan Hina Wira Negara" (Don't Insult National Heroes) and "Tian Chua Biadap, Nyah Kamu dari Malaysia' (Tian Chua is Rude, Get out of Malaysia). Tian Chua's statement in the KeadilanDaily portal alleged that the gunfire in Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu was an Umno conspiracy to divert the attention of the people and frighten them.

MNLF chief warns of ‘chaos’ if Sulu Sultan arrested Posted: 05 Mar 2013 02:05 PM PST Clara Chooi, TMI President Benigno Aquino III will not be forgiven for standing back while Malaysia rained bombs on Filipino citizens in Sabah, rebel leader Nur Misuari has said, warning of chaos if the self-proclaimed Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III is arrested or his men apprehended. Misuari, who leads the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), a political-turned-rebel Muslim group he founded in 1969, said Aquino should be more decisive and stop Malaysia's attack on Jamalul's men in Sabah instead of siding with his southern neighbour. "What he has done is very bad," the leader was quoted as saying in the Philippine Daily Inquirer. "It is unbecoming of a head of state, to be siding with the enemy of his own people." "And for what reason is he (Aquino) aligning this country with Malaysia, a colonial power occupying the land of our people? I am against that, totally against that with all my soul. I hope the president will be properly advised. I hope he will recant. Otherwise we won't forgive him," he added during a press conference yesterday at Jamalul's residence in Taguig City, Philippines. "And there is an attempt even to arrest the sultan, I understand. Let them do that. The country will be in total chaos if they do, I promise you." Misuary also claimed he had warned Malaysia's Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak that fighting the Sulu gunmen in Sabah "would be tantamount to war". He reportedly added that he was willing to send his grandnephew who lives in Malaysia, and whom he claims is Najib's relative, to speak with the prime minister on a possible peaceful end to the standoff. Government officials from the Philippines have repeatedly sought to ward off criticism against the Aquino administration for failing to protect the lives of its own countrymen, whom many Filipinos believe were merely staking a claim over land that was rightfully theirs. The Inquirer's report said Misuari had also agreed with the Sulu Sultanate's assertion that Sabah "is our homeland", but denied that he had inspired their Sabah landing, or that his men in the MNLF, many of whom were reportedly trained in Malaysia, were joining the conflict in east Malaysia. According to several reports in the Philippine media, Misuari described it as "madness" to assume he had a hand in the matter. "For anyone to speculate that I had anything to do with (Sabah standoff) is a kind of madness," he was reported as saying, according to a Twitter posting by Philippines media network ABS-CBN. "Misuari also denies financing Kiram's group in Sabah. 'That's not my way of doing things.'" the network quoted, using the handle @ANCALERTS. Malaysia's Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi appeared to concur with Misuari's remarks during a press conference yesterday, when he said there was no evidence that the Malaysia-trained MNLF fighters were joining their fellow Filipino Muslim militants in the fight to reclaim Sabah. "We have to distinguish between Sulu terrorists and the Sulu people in Sabah," Ahmad Zahid told a press conference here. "We are focusing only on Sulu terrorists. I hope that our Sulu friends in Sabah will be with the government. We as a government have been taking care of them," he added. READ MORE HERE

Gov't will defend use of word 'Allah', says Najib Posted: 05 Mar 2013 08:35 AM PST   (Bernama) - "We are unwavering in the matter of the word 'Allah'. The government of today will defend the use of the word," he said at a gathering of Muslims, including Islamic scholars and leaders, at the Putra Stadium in Bukit Jalil, here. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today the government would defend the use of the word "Allah" in accordance with Syariah principles.  He said the Syariah principles encompassed five points - preserving and caring for religion, life, intellect, lineage and property - which were pursued by the government.  A study showed that Malaysia occupied a prominent place among Islamic countries in terms of compliance to and championing the objectives of Syariah principles, he said. "In terms of religion, we defend the faith, the sanctity of Islam and the word 'Allah', as advocated by the Quran. We do not play politics in this matter, by agreeing with others in one instance and reversing the decision later.  "We are unwavering in the matter of the word 'Allah'. The government of today will defend the use of the word," he said at a gathering of Muslims, including Islamic scholars and leaders, at the Putra Stadium in Bukit Jalil, here.

Philippine intrigue could be behind Sulu incursion, say sources Posted: 05 Mar 2013 08:34 AM PST   (The Malaysian Insider) - A bid to undermine Philippine President Benigno Aquino in the republic's midterm elections in May and control the bicameral legislature is said to be a reason for the Sulu Sultanate's incursion of Sabah, say sources. The Malaysian Insider understands Philippine politicians want to put pressure on Aquino ahead of the 2016 presidential elections to get a pardon for his predecessor, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who is under house arrest for electoral sabotage. Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, who ordered the armed incursion to claim Sabah last month, ran as a senator as part of Arroyo's Team Unity in the country's 2007 elections. He lost by some 800 votes. "Some want to undermine Aquino in the midterm legislative elections to enable them to control of the Senate and the House before the 2016 presidential election. "This will ensure that Arroyo will get pardoned later," a diplomatic corps source told The Malaysian Insider. Several political commentators have already taken Aquino to task over Malacanang Palace's handling of the situation, saying the first-term president was not backing the sultanate's claim to their ancestral lands. "This is just pure politics and the Sulu claim is also politics," said a source based in the Philippines. Aquino has said Manila will look into the claim for Sabah, but said the Sulu sultan and his followers should respect Malaysian law and not carry out the incursion. He also said the Philippines did not allow private armies, ensuring the so-called Royal Sulu Sultanate Army was illegal. Coincidentally, Putrajaya had also blamed Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of being in contact with the Sulu royalty before Jamalul Kiram's brother, Agbimuddin Kiram, landed in Lahad Datu with armed followers on February 9. But the Filipino militants have denied any links with the opposition in Malaysia, where a general election is due to be held before end June. Malaysian security forces moved in yesterday to end the standoff with Agbimuddin Kiram's group holed up in Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu. Fighter jets screamed through the air as artillery pounded the village before soldiers moved in to flush out the militants. Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/philippine-intrigue-could-be-behind-sulu-incursion-say-sources/

Twenty bodies of gunmen recovered after large-scale operations in Sabah: Sources Posted: 04 Mar 2013 06:48 PM PST Ambulances drive towards an area where the stand-off with Filipino Sulu gunmen and Malaysian security forces was taking place in Tanduo village on Tuesday, March 5, 2013. Twenty bodies of the Sulu gunmen have been recovered in a remote coastal village in Sabah after large-scale operations by the Malaysian security forces on Tuesday to flush out the militants holed up there for weeks, according to local media. -- PHOTO: AFP  (ST) - Twenty bodies of the Sulu gunmen have been recovered in a remote coastal village in Sabah after large-scale operations by the Malaysian security forces on Tuesday to flush out the militants holed up there for weeks, according to local media. News portal Malaysiakini and Utusan Malaysia daily both quoted sources as saying that the bodies were found during the army's mop-up operations after the airstrike and mortar strike Tuesday morning. The authorities have yet to confirm it. Police chief Ismail Omar said at a press briefing in the afternoon that the house-to-house checks were still going on, and it was not known if some of the gunmen had fled to other villages. "The movement of the operations is being done with great caution, taking the terrain into account," he said. There have been conflicting reporters on whether the leader Raja Muda Azzumudie is among the dead. The New Straits Times also reported that fresh rounds of explosions have been heard around Kampung Sinakut, which is about 6km from Kampung Tanduo where fighting took place Tuesday morning. Malaysia had sent seven army battalions to eastern Sabah to flush out the militants after a gunfight over the weekend killed at least 26 people, including eight Malaysian policemen. The battle came after a long stand-off with the group of over 100 armed Filipinos who had landed in Sabah on Feb 9, to "reclaim" their ancestral land as followers of an heir to the Sulu Sultanate of southern Philippines. Sulu had controlled parts of Sabah hundreds of years ago. Malaysian forces began moving in last week after failing to persuade them to leave.

10,000 Tausugs to sail to Sabah Posted: 04 Mar 2013 06:43 PM PST (Agencies) - ZAMBOANGA CITY: Thousands of Tausug from Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi have sailed to Sabah to reinforce members of the so-called royal army of the sultanate of Sulu who are fighting it out with Malaysian security forces, a Moro National Liberation Front official said Tuesday. "We can no longer prevent our people. We are hurt and many of our people, even the non-combatants, are going to Sabah to help the sultanate," Habib Hashim Mudjahab, chair of the MNLF's Islamic Council Committee, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer by phone. Mudjahab said at least 10,000 Tausug from Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Zamboanga on Monday night started to reinforce the followers of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III now holed up in a coastal village in Sabah via the Philippines' so-called "southern backdoor," a route regular traders are familiar with. He said the reinforcements "sailed in small numbers so they can easily penetrate Sabah unnoticed." 'It is about pride and honor, and our people are ready to sacrifice.' "The naval blockade is of no use; our military should have known that. We did that before at the height of Marcos regime. We can easily go to Sabah and blend with the people there," he added. He was referring to a naval blockade thrown up by the Philippine Navy and Coast Guard to ensure armed sympathizers do not joined the beleaguered men in Sabah as reinforcements. Days ago, Mudjahab said, he advised several MNLF commanders against going to Sabah to help a group of about 200 men who landed in a coastal village in Lahad Datu on Feb 9 to assert the sultanate's claim to Sabah. "I told them to hold on to their ranks and avoid getting emotionally affected with the situation. But our President Noynoy (President Benigno Aquino III) kept issuing statements favoring the Malaysians, which made our people agitated. The President must realize that for the Tausugs, being pushed to the wall, fighting for a cause, is dying with victory," he said. He said with three old heirs of the Sultanate, "who have no history of rebellion, living quietly on their own, now leading the cause in Sabah, is something great for the Tausugs." "It is about pride and honor, and our people are ready to sacrifice," Mudjahab said. Ajil Jaffar, 50, an oil palm plantation worker in Kota Kinabalu and who was among those repatriated to the country on Sunday, said he wanted to return to Sabah. "I want to help them. It's our honor to be with the sultan so that this deportation and abuses will stop," he said. A retired educator in Tawi-Tawi, who asked not to be identified by name, said the sultanate of Sulu represents an extension of their rich heritage. "They are the first Filipinos. The sultanate of Sulu was already there even before Philippines existed," he said. Amirah Lidasan of the non governmental group Suara Bangsamoro said the status of the sultanate of Sulu was unfinished business that "keeps on nagging us." "We have a bloody history of Moro people getting killed while defending the homeland. It also speaks of the Philippine government's giving in to the interest of foreigners instead of its citizens," Lidasan said.

Anwar mum over Sabah conspiracy allegations Posted: 04 Mar 2013 02:55 PM PST (Asia News Network) - Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has refused to clarify foreign news reports of his purported links to a Sabah opposition politician alleged to have a hand in the armed intrusion in Sabah, saying the matter is being dealt with by his lawyers. When told that media reports in the Philippines had implicated him, Anwar said: "There are many media in the Philippines. Which one are you referring to?" Anwar was speaking at a press conference to specifically address the foreign armed intrusion of Sabah. When told that the claim was made by the Philippines Daily Inquirer, Anwar said he had read the article and there was no mention of him being linked to the issue. The Philippines Daily Inquirer, in a report last Friday, quoted Filipino army intelligence sources as saying that a Sabah politician allied to a Malaysian opposition leader had recently met with representatives of the Sultan of Sulu. When asked whether a Royal Commission of Inquiry should be set up to clear his name, Anwar merely dismissed the claims as accusations made by Umno. Anwar said he merely wanted to highlight its impact on the nation's security and sovereignty. He accused the government of having failed to deal with the armed intrusion swiftly, including failing to provide accurate information resulting in rumour mongering and fear among the rakyat. He called on the prime minister to convene roundtable talks with the opposition leadership, Home minister and Defence minister, followed by an emergency Parliament sitting to discuss the issue. He also called on Malaysians to put aside their political affiliations and support the nation's security forces. Meanwhile, a picture of Anwar holding a discussion with Moro National Liberation Front founding chairman Nur Misuari is being circulated in cyberspace. However, it is not known when and where the picture was taken.

Government will defend use of ‘Allah’ word, says Najib Posted: 04 Mar 2013 02:39 PM PST Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today the government will defend the use of the word "Allah" in accordance with syariah principles. He said syariah principles encompassed five points — preserving and caring for religion, life, intellect, lineage and property — which were pursued by the government.  A study showed that Malaysia occupied a prominent place among Islamic countries in terms of compliance to and championing the objectives of syariah principles, Najib (picture) said. "In terms of religion, we defend the faith, the sanctity of Islam and the word 'Allah', as advocated by the Quran. We do not play politics in this matter, by agreeing with others in one instance and reversing the decision later.  "We are unwavering in the matter of the word 'Allah'. The government of today will defend the use of the word," he said at a gathering of Muslims, including Islamic scholars and leaders, at the Putra Stadium in Bukit Jalil here. About 16,000 people attended the event, including the poor and needy, among them petty traders, taxi drivers and students getting "zakat" aid from the Federal Territory Islamic Affairs Council.  Najib also said that through the National Key Result Areas (NKRA), the government had given emphasis to reducing the crime index since 2009.  He said measures were taken to improve the quality of education, and this included the implementation of the National Education Blueprint 2013-2025.  On the aspect of moral decadence, he said the government focused on inculcating noble cultural values and countering free sex, incest and lesbianism, gay sex, bisexuality and transgenderism.

Report: Total defeat for Sulu group in Sabah dawn attack Posted: 04 Mar 2013 01:49 PM PST (TMI) - The armed Sulu intruders who had been in Sabah for over three weeks suffered a total defeat in an attack by the Malaysian army early this morning, the Star Online reported today, citing police sources. "The Sulu armed group was totally routed by Malaysian security forces' overwhelming firepower unleashed at 7am Tuesday (today), police sources said," the news portal said. No Malaysians were killed in the attack but the numbers of those who had died or were wounded among the Filipino militants was unknown, the Inspector-General of Police said at a 11.30am media briefing today, the news portal reported. The Star Online also said that the situation in Sabah's east coast, where armed foreigners from the Philippines had clashed with Malaysian authorities, was reportedly under control. Malaysian security forces have been placed on high alert due to purported threats of retaliation by the armed men who claim to be the royal army of the Sultanate of Sulu, it said. A spokesman for the Sulu group, Abraham Idjirani, today reportedly said they are safe and are ready to fight back despite the bombs and gunfire that had rained on them this morning. The Malaysian army launched an attack on the Filipino intruders at Kampung Tanduo, Felda Sahabat in Lahad Datu at 7am today, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak confirmed in a statement today. The Star Online reported that fresh fighting began between the Sulu gunmen and security forces early this morning. Soldiers are already on the ground in the village, it added. Gunshots were heard and fighter jets were seen circling around the Felda Sahabat plantation. Explosions were heard for 40 minutes in Kampung Tanduo, the daily reported. READ MORE HERE

Protest against Tian Chua Posted: 04 Mar 2013 01:46 PM PST (The Star) - A group of retired policemen gathered at the National Monument to protest against PKR vice-president Tian Chua's remarks over the Lahad Datu standoff. About 100 of them also sang the national anthem at the 10am gathering. Chua allegedly said in KeadilanDaily.com that the shooting incident in Lahad Datu was a conspiracy by the Umno government to divert attention and frighten the people. Former Deputy Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Samshuri Arshad said the statement insulted and belittled the sacrifice of the policemen who were injured and killed. "The fact that he could think of their deaths as a farce for a political drama is simply unacceptable," he said. Former IGP Tan Sri Norian Mai and former CID director Tan Sri Mohd Zaman Khan also took part in the protest with retirees from the police VAT69 troop, Squad 69 and Special Branch. The group also carried placards that said: Tian Chua pengkhianat negara (Tian Chua is a national traitor), Tian Chua manusia tak berhati perut (Tian Chua is heartless), and Tian Chua perlu minta maaf (Tian Chua must apologise). They later lodged reports against him at the Dang Wangi police station. Meanwhile, Penang Wanita Umno has also lodged three police reports against Tian Chua. Its chief Zabariah Wahab said leaders from three divisions - Permatang Pauh, Bayan Baru and Bukit Gelugor - had lodged reports at their respective police stations. "Our heartfelt condolences to those who lost their loved ones in the gunfight," she told reporters at Menara Umno in Macalister Road yesterday. At the press conference, Zabariah and other leaders tore pictures of Tian Chua.

PKR to contest 90 seats Posted: 04 Mar 2013 01:40 PM PST (The Star) - PKR will get the lion's share among the three parties in the Opposition pact of the 222 seats in the Dewan Rakyat at the coming general election. PAS information chief Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (picture) the matter had been decided by Pakatan Rakyat leadership council. He said his party would field candidates in about 80 seats while the DAP would be going for between 46 and 50 seats. PKR, however, would be going for 90 seats, he told The Mole news portal. A recent report from the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (Asli) stated that DAP would be the biggest winner in the Opposition coalition, as it had the chance to win between 35 and 40 Parliamentary seats, compared to the 28 it won in 2008. Tuan Ibrahim said that since the number of seats allocated to DAP was the least, there was no possibility of a leader from the party being appointed prime minister should Pakatan took over Putrajaya. He had previously stated there was no certainty that PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim would be appointed to the post. Urging PAS members to ensure victories for the party's candidates, Tuan Ibrahim said the party would discuss with its Opposition partners on who should take over as prime minister even if it won big in the general election. DAP and PKR both want Anwar as prime minister.

Aquino’s spokesman says all was done to avoid bloodshed in Sabah Posted: 04 Mar 2013 01:39 PM PST (The Star) - President Benigno Aquino III's spokesman said Tuesday the Philippines had done all it could to avoid a violent end to a stand-off in Sabah, as Malaysia launched an assault on Filipino gunmen there. A total of 27 people have been reported killed in clashes since the followers of Jamalul Kiram III, an heir to the Sultan of Sulu, landed there on February 12 by boat. "We've done everything we could to prevent this, but in the end, Kiram's people chose this path," Aquino spokesman Ricky Carandang said of the gunmen, who are claiming the state for a now defunct Filipino Muslim sultanate. Carandang said Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario remains in Kuala Lumpur for talks with his Malaysian counterpart on the security crisis. Meanwhile, a Manila spokesman for Kiram, the self-proclaimed Sultan of Sulu, said the leader of the gunmen reported to him by telephone that a firefight was underway in Sabah. "There is nothing to be done about that now," spokesman Abraham Idjirani said, stressing that the men's earlier announcement that they will fight to the end remains unchanged. "We are not intruders. They [Malaysians] are the ones occupying our ancestral land," he said. The Sulu sultanate's power faded about a century ago but it has continued to receive nominal Malaysian payments for Sabah under a lease deal inherited from European colonial powers.

Army begins mopping-up operation Posted: 04 Mar 2013 01:31 PM PST According to residents living close by, they heard the sound of jets just before the explosions. (FMT) - LAHAD DATU: Malaysian forces are reportedly conducting a mopping-up operation after they launched a dawn assault on the armed group of Filipinos who killed eight policemen over the weekend. The assault at Kampung Tanduo was preceded by the sound of bombs exploding and the sound of jets roaring overhead. Even as the offensive was going on, Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar told a news conference here today that the police and army have achieved their objective in the operation code-named "Ops Sulu". Also present was Chief of Defence Forces Jeneral Zulkifeli Mohd Zin. Ismail confirmed that the security forces launched the offensive against the intruders whom he referred to as terrorists and were met with return fire. He said there were no casualities. He said there was no civilians in the area of operation when the offensive was launched. Government officials announced that the operation to retake Kampung Taduo, an area taken over by about 200 members of the Royal Army of Sulu claiming allegiance to Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, took place at 7am. According to residents living close by, they heard the sound of jets just before the explosions. Many of them are reported to be fleeing the area. Kampung Tanduo is bracketed by two other seaside villages a few kilometres away and most of the villagers residing there have abandoned their homes and can be seen on the highway between Kampung Tanduo and here. Artillery rounds were heard pounding the area before soldiers went in and the sound of shooting erupted. There has been no sound of fighting since 10am. The sea fronting Kampung Tanduo is reportedly clear of any vessels. Police units were seen rushing towards Tungku area at around 10am and troop movement was seen Cenderawasih in Sahabat 7. Unemployed MNLF insurgents? Felda Sahabat is said to about twice the size of Singapore. Plantation workers in the area have been told to stop work and move out as security forces spread out around the rows of oil palm trees in the plantations surrounding Kampung Tanduo. Some of the workers said they have been unable to get out of the vicinity because of the cordon that has been thrown around the area. READ MORE HERE

Malaysian-trained MNLF fighters join Sulu army Posted: 04 Mar 2013 01:27 PM PST A MNLF leader claims that their forces have a huge arsenal hidden in Sabah's rugged terrain. (Agencies) - MANILA: Malaysian security forces are now facing battle-tested, Malaysian-trained commanders of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), who know Sabah like the palm of their hands. Hadji Acmad Bayam, former chief propagandist of the MNLF, revealed this yesterday to the Manila Bulletin, adding that these MNLF forces may have at their disposal a huge arsenal, which they hid deep in Sabah's rugged terrain when they returned to the Philippines after their rigid training. Among the firearms are Belgian-made G1 and FAL, which the late Libya leader Colonel Moammar Gadaffi supplied through Malaysia. Bayam said he was confident the Malaysian authorities were not able to find the hidden MNLF firearms because they were kept very well by the MNLF commanders who stayed behind in Sabah. During that training, Malaysian military trainors even joked about the firearms at the MNLF training camp on Jampiras Island, off Sabah, as they turned over Gadaffi's weapons' supply. "We are not even sure if the firearms we are giving you will not be turned against," the Malaysian trainors had said in a jest. "Well, speaking of self-fulfilling prophecy," Bayam said, recalling the jokes of the Malaysian trainors. Now, Filipinos in Sabah, who are not part of the forces of the Sultanate of Sulu, have already joined the fighting in reaction to what they perceived as Malaysian "atrocities" for killing Imam Maas and his four sons at 7:50 p.m. Saturday. He recalled that Malaysia's leadership had even suspected the then chief minister of Sabah, Tun Mustapha, a Tausug from Sulu, of "conspiring" with MNLF Chairman Nur Misuari to secede the oil-rich island. "You know, if Mindanao is to Manila, Sabah is to Kuala Lumpur," said Bayam, explaining that Mindanao and Sabah are the "milking cows" of the Philippines and Malaysia, respectively, for their rich natural resources. Bayam, who yielded to then President Fidel V. Ramos, stayed in Sabah, Malaysia, for nine years before the peace talks with the Ramos administration in 1993. Bayam stayed in Sabah on-and-off, in 1976-79, in 1980-1986, among other dates. Breaching the blockades Further, he said many of the seasoned rebel commanders and rank-and-file members chose to remain on Sabah island to live there. Majority of them are from Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga Peninsula, but there are also Maguindanaons, Iranons, and probably Maranaos, he said. A few days ago, he said one of the MNLF foreign-trained commanders belonging to the Top 90 Batch, told him that he was enlisting Tausug warriors and others for reinforcement to the Royal Security Force (RSF) of the Sultanate of Sulu. "I was trying to contact him yesterday but his phone cannot be reached anymore. I guess he was able to penetrate the Malaysian and Philippine sea-borne blockades in their respective borders. Bayam described the commander "as soft-spoken but firm and true leader-fighter in actual shooting war." However, he requested that the commander's name be not made public. Last Sunday, Abraham J Idjirani, spokesman of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, said 40 people from Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, and Zamboanga Peninsula breached the blockades and reached Lahad Datu, Sabah, scene of the standoff that erupted into a firefight. He said there are many others who are now trying to go to Sabah and help the sultan's followers led by Rajah Muda Agbimuddin Kiram. Bayam said that with the way the situation in Sabah is going on, he sees no turning back.

Strike misses Kiram Posted: 04 Mar 2013 01:26 PM PST Kiram and his men are holed up in a place far from the airstrikes, according to Philippine website PhilSTAR.com. (FMT) - MANILA: The airstrike launched by Malaysian fighter jets in Lahad Datu todau missed the forces of Agbimuddin Kiram, the spokesman for the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo said. Spokesman Abraham Idjirani said Kiram called him about 7.30am and then again at 9.30am and reported that forces of the Malaysian military and police commandos attacked a position that they (armed group) had previously occupied. Idjirani also said Kiram reported that the fighter jets started circling Lahad Datu last night, the Philippine website PhilSTAR.com reported. "[He told] us that the Malaysian forces and the police commandos, about seven battalions, attacked the place suspected of being Kiram's camp," he said. Idjirani said the Malaysian jets bombed a position previously held by the forces of Kiram but has now been occupied by Malaysian forces. Idjirani said the incident could have been a case of "friendly fire". He said Kiram and his men are safe and are holed up in a place far from the airstrikes. As tension remains high in Lahad Datu, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F del Rosario met today with Malaysian government officials in Kuala Lumpur to discuss a peaceful resolution on the issue. A statement from the Department of Foreign Affairs said Del Rosario met with Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman and Defence Minister Ahmad Zamid Hamidi at midnight. Also present during the meeting were Philippine Ambassador J Eduardo Malaya, Malaysian Foreign Ministry secretary-general Mohd Radzi Abdul Rahman and other embassy officials. Del Rosario flew to Kuala Lumpur yesterday evening.

‘Sabah uprising’ Posted: 04 Mar 2013 01:20 PM PST Sultan's followers kill, capture Malaysian cops (PhilStar.com) - MANILA, Philippines - Filipinos enraged by a Malaysian raid on a religious leader's house in Sabah retaliated Saturday night, attacking an army convoy and overrunning a district police headquarters, the sultanate of Sulu announced yesterday. Five Malaysian security officers were killed and four ranking Sabah officials were held captive by the Filipinos in Semporna, where the violence has spread from the coastal town of Lahad Datu, according to the Sulu sultanate. Kuala Lumpur confirmed only two police deaths. Sultanate spokesman Abraham Idjirani described the escalation of violence as an "unorganized, spontaneous uprising" by Filipinos residing in Sabah. Idjirani said that as of noon yesterday, armed followers of the sultanate were in control of Semporna. The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) said reinforcements from Mindanao also breached the Malaysian security cordon in Sandakan, another part of Sabah, and ambushed two truckloads of men belonging to the Malaysian Territorial Army Regiment. "The reinforcements were able to wipe them out," said Habib Mujahab Hashim, chairman of the MNLF'S Islamic Command Council. Hashim, who said he was authorized by the Sulu sultanate to speak on the situation in Sabah, said the reinforcements used improvised dynamite or timbak isda for the ambush. The dynamite is normally used for blast fishing. Both the MNLF and the Sulu sultanate said tension was building up even in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah's capital. Idjirani said the "uprising" was triggered by the raid at 7:30 p.m. Saturday by Malaysian paramilitary forces on the home of Imam Maas, who was suspected to be harboring Alepiuya Kiram, a brother of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III. When the militia, belonging to the Malaysian Police General Operations Force, failed to find Alepiuya, they allegedly fired on the house, killing the imam and his four sons and wounding another village elder called Imam Jul in another house. Idjirani said enraged residents then took to the streets, attacking the police and military headquarters in Semporna. The villagers captured a ranking police official, two military commanders and a civilian official of Sabah, Idjirani told a press conference at the sultan's home in Taguig City yesterday. Kiram reportedly told his brother, who is leading the uprising in Sabah, to "take care of the captives," who will be presented before an international body "to answer for the killing of innocent people." Up to 12 followers of the sultanate who holed up in Lahad Datu were killed by Malaysian security forces last week. The sultan's army also killed two Malaysian policemen. During yesterday's press conference, the sultanate showed photos of the Malaysian officers slain in Semporna. The sultanate said more reinforcements from Tawi-Tawi, Basilan and Sulu were arriving in Semporna, a district near Lahad Datu where from 100 to 300 followers of Kiram arrived on Feb. 9 to reiterate the sultanate's claim over Sabah. On Saturday, Malaysian forces started rounding up Filipinos in Sabah, heightening the tension. Authorities reportedly shut down the cell sites in Lahad Datu, cutting off the sultanate's contact with Kiram's brother Agbimuddin, described as the crown prince or raja muda. "The fighting for now, I will consider it an uprising," Hashim said, attributing it to the "harsh treatment" of Filipinos by Malaysian authorities. An estimated 800,000 Filipinos live in Sabah, which the sultanate of Brunei gave as a gift to the Sulu sultanate in the 17th century. In the 19th century, the Sulu sultan leased the land to the British North Borneo Company, although the British said the land was ceded. Malaysia continues to pay the Sulu sultanate 5,300 ringgits – about P70,000 – annually in what Kuala Lumpur describes as "cession fee" but is considered rental by the sultanate. MNLF members are with the sultan's group in Lahad Datu, but Hashim said his group was not participating in the attacks.

'No surrender' in Sabah - Kiram Posted: 04 Mar 2013 12:07 PM PST   (Rappler) - The fight for Sabah is also for the "entire" Filipino people.  MANILA, Philippines - No surrender. The Royal Sulu Army will not capitulate to the Malaysian forces, and vowed to fight until the end to highlight their claim to Sabah. Abraham Idjirani, spokesman of Jamalul Kiram III, said that the group, currently holed up in Kampong Tanduo in Lahad Datu, is willing to fight to the end, based on his conversation with Raja Muda Agmibuddin Kiram, the leader of the gunmen in Sabah. "Sabi niya if this is the last stand we could do, let it be. But as a guerilla fighter now, we will find our way to sneak out from all dangers in order to survive," said Idjirani, quoting Raja Muda. Abraham Idjirani, spokesperson for Jamalul Kiram III. File photo by Jerald Uy He said the assault, which started early Tuesday, March 5, is an "overkill," citing that over 10,000 Malaysian security forces are fighting around 200 fighters. Read more at: http://www.rappler.com/nation/23094-no-surrender-in-sabah

Wikipedia Page Edited To Describe Sabah As Sultanate’s Posted: 04 Mar 2013 11:44 AM PST   (The Star) - Wikipedia was not spared from the cyber attacks that have sprung up following the standoff in Sabah. Details about "Sabah" was edited and the state was described as being "part of the Sultanate of Sulu". Results from a Google search on the word "Sabah" at press time yesterday revealed a preview to the Wikipedia page which states: "Sabah is illegitimately considered one of the 13 member states of Malaysia, and is said to be its easternmost state but in fact, it is part of the Sultanate of Sulu. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo." However, the full Wikipedia page on Sabah described the state as "one of the 13 member states of Malaysia, and is its easternmost state". A Google spokesperson said the preview, or Knowledge Panel results, came from its Knowledge Graph, which is an index of hundreds of millions of real-world entities including open sources like Wikipedia. "When a user searches for a query, our algorithm takes information from the Knowledge Graph and presents it in the panel. "We want to make sure the information we provide is as accurate as possible, so we've included a link so you can tell us when we may have an inaccuracy in our information," the spokesperson said. Federal Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Comm Datuk Syed Ismail Syed Azizan said his department had been alerted. "I have instructed my Federal Cyber­Security and Mul­ti­media Investi­gation Division to investigate," he said. The alteration on Wikipedia follows the cyber attacks that have raged between Malaysian and Filipino hackers over the weekend, mirroring the Lahad Datu standoff in Sabah. Apparently, the first online attacks were made by Malaysians, hours after a skirmish erupted between the police and Sulu gunmen on March 1.

KL sends ‘cavalry’ to Sabah; toll hits 27 Posted: 04 Mar 2013 11:32 AM PST   (Global Nation, Inquirer) - It is Malaysia's worst security breach in years and Prime Minister Najib Razak has authorized an investigation into reports that the political opposition is involved. A similar investigation is going on in the Philippines, where the administration of President Aquino sees a conspiracy involving opponents of a peace process between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) that is in the final stages after the signing of a preliminary agreement last October. Malaysia on Monday sent hundreds of military troops to Sabah to help police neutralize armed followers of the sultan of Sulu who have killed eight police officers in the country's bloodiest security crisis. Twenty-seven people have reportedly been killed since fighting between the followers of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III began in Tanduao village in Lahad Datu town on March 1. Of the dead, 19 were followers of the sultan who were killed in skirmishes with police that shocked Malaysians unaccustomed to such violence in their country. The main group of the sultan's followers comprising 200-odd men and women, including about 30 who are armed, is cornered by Malaysian security forces in a small area in Tanduao, where they landed on Feb. 9 after crossing by sea from Tawi-Tawi in southern Philippines to stake the sultanate's claim to Sabah. It is Malaysia's worst security breach in years and Prime Minister Najib Razak has authorized an investigation into reports that the political opposition is involved. A similar investigation is going on in the Philippines, where the administration of President Aquino sees a conspiracy involving opponents of a peace process between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) that is in the final stages after the signing of a preliminary agreement last October. Najib, who has vowed to root out the intruders, authorized a "doubling" of police and armed forces deployed in Sabah. "An additional two Army battalions have been dispatched to Sabah," Najib was quoted as saying by state news agency Bernama. Public attention focused on Monday on how to minimize casualties while apprehending the Sulu sultan's followers surrounded by Malaysian security forces as well as an undetermined number of other armed Filipinos suspected to be in two other districts of Sabah within 300 kilometers of Lahad Datu. Sabah Police Commissioner Hamza Taib said Army reinforcements from other states in Malaysia would help bolster public confidence by patrolling various parts of the state's eastern seaboard. "The situation is under control now," Hamza said. "There will be cooperation" between the military and the police, he said. Hamza declined to elaborate on specific strategies or on a call by former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad for lethal action. FILIPINO FATALITY Villagers in Kampung Simunul in Semporna look at the body of a man believed to be from Sulu who was killed during a shootout with Malaysian forces. MALAYSIA'S THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK   "There is no way out other than launching a counterattack to eliminate" the intruders, Bernama quoted Mahathir as saying on Sunday. "Although many of them will be killed, this cannot be avoided because they had attacked Sabah, and not the other way around." Najib declared over the weekend that security forces were authorized to "take any action deemed necessary." The intruders, led by the Sulu sultan's brother Agbimuddin, have rebuffed calls for them to leave, saying ownership documents from the late 1800s prove the territory is theirs. Mysterious group It remains unclear whether the armed Filipinos who ambushed a police team in Semporna town on Saturday night are part of the Lahad Datu group. The clash in Semporna, where five Malaysian policemen and two intruders were killed, and a police claim that they were pursuing yet another group of armed men in a nearby town has sparked fears of further infiltration by Filipinos from Sulu. Read more at: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/66729/kl-sends-cavalry-to-sabah-toll-hits-27

Ground troops moving into Tanduo; air strikes over Posted: 04 Mar 2013 11:27 AM PST Updated 10:00pm Malaysian fighter jets took to the skies for aerial bombing for about ten minutes as the still of the morning was shattered by the tremendous explosion heard by journalists covering the stand-off from Sahabat Felda Residences, close to Tanduo.  Lahad Datu, Sandakan and Tawau hospitals ready to accept casualties BORNEO INSIDER TEAM FELDA SAHABAT [LAHAD DATU]: Ground troops are said to be moving in on Tanduo for mopping up operations to search and take out any surviving remnants of the Sultan of Sulu's followers. Air strikes and artillery fire which began at 7.00am have ended 40 minutes later, said our sources on the ground, and troops have been on stand-by enter the sprawling seaside village. In the meantime, hospitals at Tungku, Lahad Datu, Tawau and Sandakan are on full stand-by to accept casualties that will be air-lifted to the nearest hospital that warrants the situation. An army medical camp had earlier been established just outside the Felda Sahabat area. At 8.30am, 90 minutes after the air force struck, military trucks were seen ferrying troops from Cendrawasih where they were based and headed for Sahabat 17 – the closest point to Tanduo. Elite military and police squads were also on the ground and are believed to be involved in the shootouts with the gunmen. However, reporters at the scene in Felda Sahabat are crying foul that they have been "tricked" by the police who are refusing them entry to Sahabat Residence where they are based. These reporters and photographers including an RTM crew, had been told to go to Cendrawasih to "shoot" Nuri helicopters ferrying in troops, but after completing their jobs, they were then barred from returning. "We have been stopped at the roadblock into Sahabat Residence," complained a national media personnel bitterly. "But others can go in and out freely". Just before Tungku, police set up a massive roadblock to prevent anyone from entering Tungku and the nearby Felda Sahabat village. No vehicles are being allowed in at all. At the Felda Sahabat gate, at least one foreign journalist and several local journalists have been refused entry into the area. "Contact the OCPD for permission," was all those guarding the roadblocks would say. And no prizes for guessing correctly that the OCPD could not be reached. Meanwhile, Malaysiakini, another online portal reported that a 10:17 desptach from the ANC News Channel, InterAksyon.com reported that bombs were being dropped about a kilometer away from where Abjimuddim Kiram and his men are located. Leader Abjimuddin said his group could not yet determine if the bombs were meant to target them or their followers, but they remained safe and secure and were ready to fight back. Meanwhile in Manila, a group of protesters have arrived at the Malaysia embassy to condemn the attack. Earlier at 10.15am: Abjimuddin, leader of the intruders, vented his anger at the Philippine government in a radio interview with InterAksyon.com, the online news portal of Philippine TV channel TV5. "The government is ordering the arrest of our companions even if we haven't done anything bad," he said. "It's like we aren't Filipinos." Meanwhile, Abraham Idjarani, spokesperson of the sultanate, tells radio station dzBB that Abjimuddin had phoned to inform them of the start of the assault. "There is nothing to be done about that now," Idjirani said in a separate interview with AFP. He stressed that Abjimuddin's earlier announcement that they will fight to the end remains. "We are not intruders. They (Malaysians) are the ones occupying our ancestral land," he says. Read more at: http://borneoinsider.com/2013/03/05/heavy-artillery-bombardment-on-sulu-raiders-hideout/

Tortured, Beheaded and Mutilated Posted: 04 Mar 2013 11:24 AM PST Alexander Chen, The Borneo Insider SEMPORNA: Reports reaching The Borneo Insider suggest that at least three of the policemen killed in Semporna after clashes with an armed group, were tortured and their bodies mutilated. One was also beheaded. However, the bodies of three others, who were believed to have died after being hit by the crossfire, were left untouched. A group of 19 policemen, who were in the raiding party at Simunul on Saturday night, who were initially reported "missing" and then "trapped" was probably held hostage by the gunmen at several houses in the area. They were said to have been relieved of their guns as well as hand phones. This group too was left unharmed, though at least one of them suffered wounds, probably in the Saturday night shoot-out. But police are not willing to confirm anything, especially the torture and mutilation of the three policemen, except say that the 19 others who were initially "trapped" had been released unharmed. On Saturday, armed intruders were initially spotted at Lorong 4 and Lorong 5 in Simunul, a cluster of water villages, comprising mainly Suluk and Tausug people, with or without Malaysian documents. Police were called in and about 50 policemen were said to have walked into an ambush where a shootout also took place. On Sunday, police said six policemen and six armed men were killed in the shootout. On Monday, the bodies of three of the gunmen were still seen at various places in Simunul while there was no sight of the other three bodies. It was only after 1.00pm Monday that some 30 residents of Kampung Simunul took the initiative to remove the bodies of the three intruders and handed it over to the authorities. Village headman Ramli Saraman said they had to remove the bodies because the stench had become unbearable. Ramli advised the villagers not to believe rumours spread by irresponsible people because they could worsen the situation. "I was told by villagers that the intruders will burn down Simunul but I told them not to believe as I keep in touch with the police." He said villagers are not compelled to evacuate their homes because it is their right as individuals adding peace has returned to the kampung. Later, when met by reporters, some Simunul villagers sad they were horrified on hearing that one of six dead police personnel was beheaded and two others were tortured. "It is against our religion to behead anyone. It is terrible, it's cruel,'' said fisherman Azmi who has been living close to Lorong 5, Simunul where the shooting began. "We are Suluks living here for more than 50 years. They (armed men) are bad people ,'' said a woman who was referring to the gunmen. Their sentiments were shared by other villagers who claimed that they have also heard that one of the gunmen had recorded the beheading on his mobile phone and had sent a clip to the police. However, no confirmation was available on the phone clip or the torture of the three who had gone with a team of 56 to check out information that Sulu Sultan sympathisers had stored weapons in one of the stilt houses. Read more at: http://borneoinsider.com/2013/03/05/tortured-beheaded-and-mutilated/

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