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Sultanate of Sulu demand the return of Sabah from Malaysia?

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:undecided:

Ya that's why i don't believe that Muslims don't fight other Muslims anyway this just sad but again this people are brave but stupid i mean going to sabah with weapons is just asking for trouble if they just protest and stayed in lakung datu with no weapons and chain themselves their malaysia could have done no military action and malaysia would be in the bad light in the International community for trying to fight peaceful protestors but this guys are just too brave to use their heads thinking fighting solves everything.

Don't get me wrong i am in favor of the Philippines Claim to Sabah but through the UN by International law not by stupidity like this! acting aggressively is chinese job. But those guys are on there own its clear that the Philippine Government does not support their actions.
 
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Well stop using my country's flag false flager! its for the education of the chinese troll who does not know their head from their @$$ on this issue like your yourself.

I do know were my head is from my @$$. I'm not a Chinese troll. Illiterate troll.

Unlikely, look again that picture, those dead bodies are wearing combat gears.

Sorry. At first, my IPad can't get the picture. Second time, it did. But how is that possible for the Sulu rebells to defeat the Malaysians.
 
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Sorry. At first, my IPad can't get the picture. Second time, it did. But how is that possible for the Sulu rebells to defeat the Malaysians.

Remember the news about Malaysian jets mistakenly dropped bombs onto their own forces?

But, despite of that, we have to bear in our mind that those Sulu rebels have connection to the battle hardened MNLF rebel, in fact, some news say that MNLF are starting to reinforce Sulu rebels as an act of Tausug brotherhood.

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/03/07/916714/mnlf-enters-sabah

Battle hardened MNLF fighters are very dangerous to the Malaysian forces which somehow, lack of battle experiences, as Malaysia almost had no major conflict for decades.
 
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I do know were my head is from my @$$. I'm not a Chinese troll. Illiterate troll.



Sorry. At first, my IPad can't get the picture. Second time, it did. But how is that possible for the Sulu rebells to defeat the Malaysians.

Oh please do tell
 
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Friendly fire? i though they had smart bombs with their planes the F18s and the hawks they use?
 
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The ongoing drama unfolding in Sabah has further eroded.

If Malaysia believe that wiping out the followers of the Sultan of Sulu who are in Sabah will end the Sultanate's claim and struggle in Sabah then they should consider otherwise. Rejection of Malaysia for a unilateral ceasefire would just cost them. These will just ignite a never ending armed conflict.


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(Filipino Muslim women carry torches as they join a rally at the Maharlika Village in suburban Taguig, South
of Manila, Philippines. The group is calling for a peaceful resolution on the current crisis between the Philippines
and Malaysia as they deal with a Philippine Muslim Royal clan who claims ownership of Sabah.)
 
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Guerrilla warfare – militants hitting back?
FMT Staff | March 8, 2013
A Moro National Liberation Front source is of the view that the war in Sabah will be 'very costly' to the Malaysian securities forces.


lahad-datu-standoff.jpg


LAHAD DATU: As images of mutilated bodies flood the blogs and rumours of more attacks spew via SMSess and emails, Lahad Datu is appearing more and more like a guerrilla front.

Malaysia’s rejection yesterday of a unilateral ceasefire called by self-styled Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III and its determination to wipe-out the ‘remnant’ militants of the week-long brutal armed attack simply means that Sabah is in trouble, says a Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) source.

Said the source who declined to be named: “The Malaysians have opened an insurgency problem in Sabah by firing the first shot. Sabah is going to be a real headache for the Malaysians.”

The source was alluding to last Friday’s shoot-out at Kampung Tandauo in Lahad Datu where over 200 armed soldiers from the Royal Sulu Army were holed up since Feb 9.

What triggered the shoot-out is subjective. The Malaysian side claimed the militants broke the security cordon, the Sulu sultanate deny this saying they were attacked.

A news blackout on the goings-on in Lahad Datu and a lack of informed regular updates from the Malaysian authorities have given wind to widespread rumours, the latest being that a group of Moro militants bombed a bridge in Sandakan and a truck heading towards Lahad Datu being attacked.

FMT has been unable to confirm these information. Neither is there any form of comment from the Malaysian side.
Thus far the Malaysian security forces have declared 52 militants killed, including a general, and eight Malaysian officers have died.

Yesterday Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak told reporters here that a security zone covering Kudat, Kunak, Sandakan and Lahad Datu has been implemented and that there was no scaling back unless the militants surrender unconditionally and handover their weapons.

Unconditional surrender is not a Tausug culture

The Philstar.com quoted official MNLF spokesman Emmanuel Fontanilla as saying that the sultanate’s forces would fight till death.
“Surrender? It’s unacceptable. They will fight to the death. For the Tausug fighters it’s victory or graveyard,” he said.

He said the war would be ‘very costly’ to Malaysia army which had not fought a real battle like the sultanate’s forces.

He said many of them had fought the Philippine government as members of the MNLF.

“They’re used to dealing with jet fighters as well as ground and naval bombardments.

“They know the terrain in Sabah, having trained there for decades,” he said.

Militants refusing to surrender

Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar in a press conference here this morning said the Sulu militants were not showing signs of surrendering.

He also denied reports that 700 Sulu gunmen had entered Sabah.

“I received information that there are SMS and social media postings which falsely claim that these gunmen have entered Kota Kinabalu and Tawau to create chaos,” he said.

“It is not true. Do not believe in reports which are not confirmed by the police and military. Please inform the police if you see any information via social media or text messages,” he added.

Guerrilla warfare| Free malaysia Today


Filipino invaders say Malaysians troops shot 31 civilians

A group of Filipino invaders that has triggered a security crisis in Sabah claimed that civilians have been killed by Malaysian forces and rejected Kuala Lumpur's claims that 31 clansmen were gunned down today.

The armed invaders -- labeled terrorists by Malaysia -- have wreaked political havoc for both Malaysia and Philippines by trying to stake a long-dormant royal territorial claim to Malaysia's sprawling, resource-rich state of Sabah in Borneo, AP reports.
Most Filipinos had eluded capture in a coastal Sabah district after Malaysian forces attacked them with airstrikes and mortar fire on Tuesday.

Police and military forces tracking them waged a gunbattle that ended in the deaths of 31 clansmen today, national police chief Ismail Omar said, adding that no Malaysians were injured.

Abraham Idjirani, a Philippine-based representative for the clansmen, said he spoke by telephone in the evening with the group's leader, who insisted all of them remained accounted for. He claimed Malaysian forces had instead killed dozens of civilian villagers, but none of them was clansmen.

The conflicting claims could not immediately be explained.

Ismail said at least 52 Filipinos have now been killed in the past week since hostilities in the Sabah security crisis escalated.

Eight policemen also were fatally shot by the Filipino clansmen and their allies last week in various parts of Sabah.

Filipino invaders say Malaysians troops shot 31 civilians - The Standard



10 Kiram men killed in Sabah - spokesman

By Dharel Placido, ABS-CBNnews.com
Posted at 03/08/2013

MANILA – A spokesperson for self-proclaimed Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III on Friday belied reports that the clashes in Sabah had left 52 of the sultan's followers dead.

Abraham Idjirani, Kiram III's spokesman, citing information from crown prince Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram, said 10 royal army soldiers have so far died since armed clashes began last week.

Idjirani said the 10 soldiers died during a firefight last Friday in Lahad Datu. He said the Friday clash was the only instance where the sultan's followers exchanged fire with Malaysian security forces.

"Isang beses lang nagkaroon ng bakbakan ang royal security forces at Malaysian police commando kung saan nangyari ho yun ng March 1st, at tinagurian nating 'March 1 Massacre,'" Idjirani told dzMM.

Idjirani said according to Raja Muda Kiram, the 235 royal army soldiers have all been accounted for, with 10 fatalities, 10 arrested and 4 injured.

After the Lahad Datu clash on Friday, Malaysia reported that the violence had spilled the following day to the town of Semporna, where an additional 18 Filipino militants allegedly died.

Malaysia then launched a bigger offensive on Tuesday, sending fighter jets and dropping bombs to the intruded areas.

Malaysian troops said they shot and killed 32 followers of the sultan during the latest assault. That brought the total dead to 60, including 52 militants. Eight Malaysian policemen were killed in skirmishes last weekend.

Idjirani said the crown prince considers the report on the fatalities as propaganda by the Malaysian forces. He believes that innocent civilians were included in the fatalities.

He claimed no more royal army soldiers died in the succeeding attacks as they have become more careful.

"Kahit may nagbo-bomba, kami ay nag-iingat at aming tinatantsa kung saan kami pupunta bago magkaroon ng bomba sa area na kinaroroonan namin," said Idjirani, quoting Raja Muda Kiram.

Let foreign media in

Meanwhile, Princess Jacel Kiram, daughter of the Sultan, challenged the Malaysian government to give foreign media access to the affected areas.

"Para malaman natin ang totoo, I am challenging the Malaysian government na i-allow nila ang pagpasok ng foreign media para hindi tayo nagbibigayan ng numero lamang at walang naniniwala sa isa't isa," the princess said in a separate dzMM interview.

"Alam natin na lahat ng ipa-publish nila at lahat ng report na ilalabas nila ay may pahintulot ng Malaysian government. Hindi po nila pinapayagan ang mga ibang media na mag-cover, pili lang po."

Unilateral ceasefire

Idjirani said another reason for their call for an immediate end to the violence in Sabah was the alleged killing of innocent civilians by the Malaysian forces.

The sultan's group earlier said its decision to call for a unilateral ceasefire was triggered by an appeal from United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to involved parties to end the violence and hold talks.

"Ang Malaysian police and military ay nagkalat na ng violence sapagkat ang kanilang tinutumbok na ngayon ay mga civilian Filipinos na nandoon sa Sabah," Idjirani said.

"Kaya iyun ang desisyon at nagkataon din na mayroong panawagan ang United Nations."

The Malaysian government immediately rejected the group's ceasefire request and said it would continue to press the offensive.

Nevertheless, Idjirani said they are still hoping that the Malaysian government would change its mind and finally hold talks with them.

"Ang mahalaga ay naipakita natin sa buong mundo na ang Sultanate of Sulu ay marunong tumupad sa usapan at panawagan ng United Nations para maresolba ang issue ng payapa," he said.

"Kahit ni-reject ng Malaysia, ang fundamental concern natin ay 'yung pag-reciprocate sa panawagan ng UN. Iyun pa ring ang intensyon natin para matigil ang violence at atrocities na ginagawa ng Malaysian authorities sa inosenteng Filipino civilians sa Sabah."

10 Kiram men killed in Sabah - spokesman | ABS-CBN News
 
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Irony: Malaysian-trained Sulu fighters
By Neal H. Cruz
Philippine Daily Inquirer

There is a touch of irony in the fighting in Sabah where Malaysian forces, using eight fighter jets, laser-guided bombs, artillery and hundreds of troops, have failed to subdue a handful of Filipino Muslims from Sulu.

When the Moro National Liberation Front was formed to fight the Philippine government years ago, it was Malaysia who trained, in Sabah, MNLF fighters in guerrilla warfare. Now it is veteran MNLF fighters who are leading the Sulu force in fighting the Malaysians. Obviously, they learned their lessons well. In spite of the overwhelming advantage in men and ordnance, the Malaysians could not find the “cornered” followers of the Sultanate of Sulu in the jungles of Sabah which, as one veteran said, they know “like the back of their hands.”

There is one way the Philippine and Malaysian governments can persuade the Filipino Muslims to “go home.” That is for Malaysia to either agree to take the Sultanate of Sulu’s claim to Sabah to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or to negotiate with the Philippine government and the sultanate, with a definite date for the talks to start.

It is because of decades of being ignored by the Malaysian government and neglected by the Philippine government—including the “loss” of letters from the Sultan of Sulu to President Aquino on the Sabah claim—that the sultan was forced to take the drastic step. He wanted to force the issue. He hoped that when fighting erupts and lives are lost, international agencies like the United Nations may intervene and force Malaysia to negotiate or go to the ICJ. The lives of some of his followers lost in the fighting are a sacrifice to regain their homeland.

Why is Malaysia afraid to do either? Because historical and documentary evidence clearly prove that Sabah belongs to the Sultanate of Sulu. Malaysia is holding on to it by sheer force of arms, just like Hitler did in annexing neighboring European countries and Tojo did in annexing neighboring Southeast Asian countries during World War II.

Sabah is not important to Malaysia. In fact, it is being neglected by Kuala Lumpur because of the distance. But it is very important to the Filipinos of Sulu, to which it is very close. They need it for trade (there is now a shortage of food in Tawi-Tawi because of the fighting in Sabah) and for jobs and living space.

Not only because it is the homeland of Sulu Muslims, Malaysia should return it to its rightful owners for humanitarian reasons. The UN should intervene before more lives are lost.

The Jews waged decades of war, including terrorism, to regain their homeland, Israel, and succeeded. The Filipino Muslims hope they will be able to achieve the same feat. Years from now, the struggle of the Filipino Muslims will make good material for stories and movies, just like the struggle of the American Indians and the blacks exploited by the white immigrants from Europe.

Irony: Malaysian-trained Sulu fighters | Inquirer Opinion


No indication that gunmen in Sabah stand-off want to surrender: police
Posted: 08 March 2013

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LAHAD DATU: The remaining Sulu intruders in Sabah have yet to indicate they want to surrender, Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar said on Friday.

He said the militants, from the southern Philippines, were holed up in Tanduo village and Tanjung Batu.

He also said that security forces were continuing to hunt down the militants, although there had been no encounter since 11 am on Thursday, when 31 of the gunmen were killed in a clash.

"After the 31 militants were killed yesterday, there has been no indication that the remnants want to lay down arms," he told a news conference, attended also by Chief of Defence Forces Gen Zulkifeli Mohd Zin, in Lahad Datu.

The "Ops Daulat" offensive to flush out the militants, who have been holed up in Tanduo since February 12 and had killed eight policemen in the village and in Simunul village, on March 1 and 2, entered its fourth day on Friday. So far, 52 militants had been killed.

No indication that gunmen in Sabah stand-off want to surrender: police - Channel NewsAsia


UN: End Sabah violence
By Pia Lee-Brago (The Philippine Star) | Updated March 8, 2013

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MANILA, Philippines - United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called yesterday for an end to violence in Sabah, where clashes between Malaysian forces and armed followers of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III have left up to 60 people dead.

The UN chief also said he “encourages dialogue among all the parties for a peaceful resolution of the situation.”

“He urges all parties to facilitate delivery of humanitarian assistance and act in full respect of international human rights norms and standards,” Ban’s spokesperson said in a statement.

Kiram declared a unilateral ceasefire in response to Ban’s call. Although Malaysia rejected a ceasefire, Kiram declared a “cessation of hostilities.” He told his followers to end the fighting and urged Malaysia to stop attacking positions of his “royal sultanate army.”

The sultan urged Malaysia to reciprocate his action in the name of Islamic tolerance.

He asked his brother, Agbimuddin Kiram, to take a defensive stand in Lahad Datu.

Agbimuddin led some 300 men – some armed – across the Sulu Sea to settle in Sabah and assert sovereignty over the territory.

Despite Malaysia’s rejection of Kiram’s ceasefire offer, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the Philippine government would continue to explore ways to prevent further bloodshed and loss of livelihood.

“Our aim has not changed. We will explore all possibilities to save lives and avoid bloodshed. The suggestion of a unilateral ceasefire (appears) to be one of the options,” the DFA said in a statement.

Malaysia ignored on Tuesday the Philippines’ request for maximum tolerance in dealing with Kiram’s followers and launched on the same day massive ground and air assault on the Filipinos in Lahad Datu.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario flew to Kuala Lumpur on Monday to personally convey the Philippines’ request to his Malaysian counterpart Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman and to continue discussions on how to avert further loss of lives.

His requests included the establishment by Malaysia of a “safety corridor” for the children, women and civilians not involved in the hostility between the sultan’s followers and Malaysian authorities.

The DFA said Malaysia was considering the request but had not issued an official response.

Another Philippine request was for Malaysia to allow a humanitarian ship to dock in Lahad Datu.

The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) welcomed the UN’s entering the picture.

“We are very happy because this has been our repeated call, appealing for the intervention of the United Nations,” said Habib Mujahab Hashim, MNLF’s Islamic Command Council (ICC) chairman.

Hashim also appealed to the MNLF forces preparing to cross over to Sabah to abandon their plan.

“We appeal to our brothers to immediately stand down any of its action and those who have intent to reinforce not to go,” Hashim said.

Peacekeepers needed

With Malaysia’s rejection of the Sulu sultanate’s ceasefire offer, the UN should consider deploying peacekeeping forces in Sabah to prevent further bloodshed, the MNLF also said.

“We are hoping the UN will deploy a buffer force,” MNLF spokesman Emmanuel Fontanilla said in a text message to The STAR.

He said that the sultanate’s forces may be forced to fight back if Malaysian forces try to finish them off once and for all.

He said such campaign by Malaysian forces would be very costly because the sultanate’s forces were trained in real battle in Mindanao, as many of them had fought the Philippine government as members of the MNLF.

Furthermore, they know the terrain of Sabah, having trained in the territory for decades.

“They’re used to dealing with jet fighters as well as ground and naval bombardments and the only way to end the fighting is for both parties to sit down and talk,” Fontanilla said, adding that Malaysia would be facing a bigger security problem if it refuses to talk peace with the sultanate.

He said the same thing should also be expected by the Aquino administration for its “mishandling” of the Sabah conflict.

Malaysia said it would only agree to a ceasefire if the sultanate’s fighters surrender unconditionally.

“Surrender? It’s unacceptable. They will fight to the death. For the Tausug fighters it’s victory or graveyard,” Fontanilla said.

Another MNLF official who declined to be named said that with the turn of events, Lahad Datu is emerging as a guerilla front.

“Sabah is going to be a real headache for the Malaysians. The Malaysians have opened an insurgency problem in Sabah by firing the first shot,” the MNLF official said.

He also said that if Malaysia is really winning in the frontline, it should immediately lift the news blackout and let the world know the real score. With Roel Pareño, Jaime Laude

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/03/08/917095/un-end-sabah-violence
 
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The Sabah Issue And Its Impact On Philippine-Malaysian Relations – Analysis
(March 8, 2013)

Map-of-Sabah-Malaysia.-Photo-Yodod_flickr.jpg


Despite playing second string to the South China Sea disputes in recent years, the state of Sabah (also known as North Borneo) has long been a major irritant in bilateral relations between the Philippines and Malaysia. However, a lasting resolution of this longstanding issue would help cement bilateral ties between the two countries, enhance maritime security and help regulate seaborne trade. Finally, a resolution may help determine the fate of thousands of Filipino refugees, migrants and their descendants in Sabah, many of whom remain stateless to this day.

Roots of Contention

The Sultanate of Sulu obtained Sabah from Brunei after helping it to quell a local rebellion. In 1761, the Sulu Sultan entered into an agreement with the British East India Company to set up a trading post on Balenkong Island. This was followed in 1878 by the signing of an agreement to lease the sultan’s dominions in North Borneo in return for rent from the British North Borneo Company. After 1946, the payment of the annual lease passed from the British to the Malaysian government and continues to this day. When Sabah was transferred from the British North Borneo Company to the Crown under the 1946 North Borneo Cession Order, former US Governor-General and then foreign affairs adviser to the newly established Philippine Republic Francis Burton Harrison labelled the transfer as illegal on the basis that other concerned parties were not consulted. In 1963, then-Philippine President Diosdado Macapagal refused to recognize the Federation of Malaysia because of the inclusion of Sabah.

As the ‘rightful heirs’ to the sultanate, the Philippines continues to stake its claims over Sabah, albeit with less enthusiasm than in the past. For instance, in 2001, Manila declared itself an interested party in negotiations between Indonesia and Malaysia over the Sipadan and Ligitan Islands. As these are located off Sabah, the Philippines argued that the decision of the International Court of Justice over the status of the islands may have a bearing on its territorial claims.

Tension Returns

The ghosts of the Sabah issue resurfaced again recently after a violent standoff between loyal followers of the Sultan of Sulu and Malaysian troops in Tanduao village, Lahad Batu. There was also a similar encounter in Simunul village in Semporna, raising fears that the conflict may spread over to other areas of northern Borneo. The timing of the standoff prompted speculation that parties opposed to the Malaysian-brokered peace deal between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) were behind the staging of the drama. Some Philippine senatorial candidates, possibly in order to enhance their nationalist credentials, have also used the incident to lobby Manila into reviving its claims on Sabah. However, Malaysia’s contribution to the peace deal with the MILF suggests that the Aquino government may not take their demands too seriously.

Caught in Limbo

The recent unrest in Sabah has also reignited interest in the fate of the state’s Filipino community. Whether they are refugees, economic migrants or illegal immigrants, Filipinos tend to be lumped into one group and subjected to many negative stereotypes and prejudices. Many Malaysians claim, for example, that ethnic Filipinos put a strain on social services, take jobs away from locals and generally pose a security threat. Many refugees also remain stateless and their local status remains precarious. As a result, many have also been subjected to abuse or discrimination, despite the fact that some are born and raised in Sabah. In addition, many undocumented Filipinos have also been trafficked to Sabah through the porous Philippines’ southern backdoor to work in palm oil plantations. Some have even been forced into prostitution. The plight of these Filipinos has enraged many of their relatives and kinsmen on the other side of the Sea of Sulu. However, the Philippines’ continued reluctance to set up a consulate in Sabah, on account of its outstanding claim, means that the fate of many of these Filipinos remains in limbo.

The Sabah Issue And Its Impact On Philippine-Malaysian Relations - Analysis Eurasia Review | Eurasia Review


Congress urged: Pass resolution authorizing Malacañang to revive Sabah claim
By Christina Mendez (philstar.com) | Updated March 8, 2013

MANILA, Philippines - A former senator called on the Senate and the House of Representatives to pass a resolution authorizing Malacañang to pursue the Philippine claim over Sabah, peacefully and legally.

Former senator Amina Rasul, president of the Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy (PCID), also urged the government to create a Sabah committee, under the Office of the President, to address the Philippine claim over the island state.

Raul said that the members of the committee should include the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Justice, Department of National Defense, Mindanao Development Authority, the Office of the Presidential Adviser of the Peace Process and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, National Commission on Muslim Filipinos and a representative of the Sultanate of Sulu and a representative to the heirs to Sabah.

Rasul said Congress should also pass a resolution to express the sense of both chambers on the crisis on Lahad Datu.

“We pray that leaders, Filipino and Malaysian, will prioritize the lives and citizens and peace and security of both our countries,” she said.

The PCID is commemorating the Bangsamoro Day on March 18, the infamous day of the Jabidah Massacre where young Tausug mujahideen were killed by the military in 1968 after the botched attempt by the Marcos regime to send a special assault team to Sabah to reclaim it.

n a statement, Rasul said the PCID is reiterating the widespread call for a peaceful and diplomatic resolution to the Sabah debacle between the Royal Army of the Sultanate of Sulu and the Malaysian forces.

“We join the United Nations’ call for both parties to dialogue and avoid further destruction of lives and property,” she said.

The group also called on the Malaysian government to allow the Red Crescent to enter the area to be able to provide medical assistance and humanitarian aid to the victims and casualties.


http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2...ion-authorizing-malacanang-revive-sabah-claim


Malaysia fears World Court solution over Sabah claim, says columnist

BY IDA LIM
MARCH 08, 2013

KUALA LUMPUR, March 8 — Proof showing that Sabah “clearly” belongs to the Sultanate of Sulu has caused Malaysia to be fearful of bringing the dispute to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or to the table for talks, a columnist for a Manila-based paper has claimed.

In an opinion piece titled “Irony: Malaysian-trained Sulu fighters”, Neal H. Cruz said both the Philippine and Malaysian governments could “persuade” the Filipino Muslim rebels in Sabah to leave the state that is part of Malaysia, by either entering into negotiations or going to the ICJ.

“That is for Malaysia to either agree to take the Sultanate of Sulu’s claim to Sabah to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or to negotiate with the Philippine government and the sultanate, with a definite date for the talks to start,” he wrote yesterday.

But he said Malaysia was fearful of taking either option, adding that the country was holding on to Sabah by “sheer force of arms”, possibly referring to Malaysia’s show of military muscle with its all-out strike on Tuesday against the estimated 200-odd Sulu gunmen who had intruded Sabah’s east coast over three weeks ago to press the Sultanate of Sulu’s claim on the state.

“Why is Malaysia afraid to do either? Because historical and documentary evidence clearly prove that Sabah belongs to the Sultanate of Sulu.

“Malaysia is holding on to it by sheer force of arms, just like Hitler did in annexing neighbouring European countries and Tojo did in annexing neighbouring Southeast Asian countries during World War II,” he claimed in his column “As I See It” on the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s news portal.

Calling Sabah the “homeland of Sulu Muslims”, the columnist said that Malaysia should “return” Sabah to its “rightful owners for humanitarian reasons”, adding that the UN should step in before more people die in the clashes in there, which have already left 52 Sulu gunmen and eight Malaysian policemen dead.

Earlier in his column, he said that Sabah is not important to Malaysia, alleging that the federal government in Peninsular Malaysia was neglecting Sabah because of the state’s distance.

“But it is very important to the Filipinos of Sulu, to which it is very close. They need it for trade (there is now a shortage of food in Tawi-Tawi because of the fighting in Sabah) and for jobs and living space,” he said, referring to the Philippine islands Tawi-Tawi, which is near the Sabah east coast and whose residents reportedly buy food from Sabah.

Last Saturday, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima from the Philippines’ Department of Justice reportedly said the government had not ruled out taking the Sulu group’s claim on Sabah to the ICJ, but was carefully studying the case as it did not want to strain its friendship with Malaysia.

The Sultanate of Sulu has laid claim to Sabah, saying it had merely leased North Borneo in 1878 to the British North Borneo Company for an annual payment of 5,000 Malayan dollars then, which was increased to 5,300 Malayan dollars in 1903.

Sabah, however, joined Malaya, Sarawak and Singapore to form Malaysia in 1963, after which Malaysia continued paying an annual stipend of RM5,300 to the Sulu sultanate on the basis of the sultanate ceding the Borneo state.

Yesterday, the Sultanate of Sulu called for a ceasefire to the month-long battle in Sabah, promising to lay down their weapons and take a defensive stance if Malaysian security forces agreed to do the same.

But Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday rejected the call, saying that the Sulu militants must surrender unconditionally instead.

Najib also highlighted the Cobbold Commission’s 1962 referendum in Sabah and Sarawak, where about two-thirds of the people supported the creation of Malaysia, thus exercising their right to self-determination.

THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER
 
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The Sabah Issue And Its Impact On Philippine-Malaysian Relations – Analysis
(March 8, 2013)

Map-of-Sabah-Malaysia.-Photo-Yodod_flickr.jpg


Despite playing second string to the South China Sea disputes in recent years, the state of Sabah (also known as North Borneo) has long been a major irritant in bilateral relations between the Philippines and Malaysia. However, a lasting resolution of this longstanding issue would help cement bilateral ties between the two countries, enhance maritime security and help regulate seaborne trade. Finally, a resolution may help determine the fate of thousands of Filipino refugees, migrants and their descendants in Sabah, many of whom remain stateless to this day.

Roots of Contention

The Sultanate of Sulu obtained Sabah from Brunei after helping it to quell a local rebellion. In 1761, the Sulu Sultan entered into an agreement with the British East India Company to set up a trading post on Balenkong Island. This was followed in 1878 by the signing of an agreement to lease the sultan’s dominions in North Borneo in return for rent from the British North Borneo Company. After 1946, the payment of the annual lease passed from the British to the Malaysian government and continues to this day. When Sabah was transferred from the British North Borneo Company to the Crown under the 1946 North Borneo Cession Order, former US Governor-General and then foreign affairs adviser to the newly established Philippine Republic Francis Burton Harrison labelled the transfer as illegal on the basis that other concerned parties were not consulted. In 1963, then-Philippine President Diosdado Macapagal refused to recognize the Federation of Malaysia because of the inclusion of Sabah.

As the ‘rightful heirs’ to the sultanate, the Philippines continues to stake its claims over Sabah, albeit with less enthusiasm than in the past. For instance, in 2001, Manila declared itself an interested party in negotiations between Indonesia and Malaysia over the Sipadan and Ligitan Islands. As these are located off Sabah, the Philippines argued that the decision of the International Court of Justice over the status of the islands may have a bearing on its territorial claims.

Tension Returns

The ghosts of the Sabah issue resurfaced again recently after a violent standoff between loyal followers of the Sultan of Sulu and Malaysian troops in Tanduao village, Lahad Batu. There was also a similar encounter in Simunul village in Semporna, raising fears that the conflict may spread over to other areas of northern Borneo. The timing of the standoff prompted speculation that parties opposed to the Malaysian-brokered peace deal between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) were behind the staging of the drama. Some Philippine senatorial candidates, possibly in order to enhance their nationalist credentials, have also used the incident to lobby Manila into reviving its claims on Sabah. However, Malaysia’s contribution to the peace deal with the MILF suggests that the Aquino government may not take their demands too seriously.

Caught in Limbo

The recent unrest in Sabah has also reignited interest in the fate of the state’s Filipino community. Whether they are refugees, economic migrants or illegal immigrants, Filipinos tend to be lumped into one group and subjected to many negative stereotypes and prejudices. Many Malaysians claim, for example, that ethnic Filipinos put a strain on social services, take jobs away from locals and generally pose a security threat. Many refugees also remain stateless and their local status remains precarious. As a result, many have also been subjected to abuse or discrimination, despite the fact that some are born and raised in Sabah. In addition, many undocumented Filipinos have also been trafficked to Sabah through the porous Philippines’ southern backdoor to work in palm oil plantations. Some have even been forced into prostitution. The plight of these Filipinos has enraged many of their relatives and kinsmen on the other side of the Sea of Sulu. However, the Philippines’ continued reluctance to set up a consulate in Sabah, on account of its outstanding claim, means that the fate of many of these Filipinos remains in limbo.

The Sabah Issue And Its Impact On Philippine-Malaysian Relations - Analysis Eurasia Review | Eurasia Review


Congress urged: Pass resolution authorizing Malacañang to revive Sabah claim
By Christina Mendez (philstar.com) | Updated March 8, 2013

MANILA, Philippines - A former senator called on the Senate and the House of Representatives to pass a resolution authorizing Malacañang to pursue the Philippine claim over Sabah, peacefully and legally.

Former senator Amina Rasul, president of the Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy (PCID), also urged the government to create a Sabah committee, under the Office of the President, to address the Philippine claim over the island state.

Raul said that the members of the committee should include the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Justice, Department of National Defense, Mindanao Development Authority, the Office of the Presidential Adviser of the Peace Process and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, National Commission on Muslim Filipinos and a representative of the Sultanate of Sulu and a representative to the heirs to Sabah.

Rasul said Congress should also pass a resolution to express the sense of both chambers on the crisis on Lahad Datu.

“We pray that leaders, Filipino and Malaysian, will prioritize the lives and citizens and peace and security of both our countries,” she said.

The PCID is commemorating the Bangsamoro Day on March 18, the infamous day of the Jabidah Massacre where young Tausug mujahideen were killed by the military in 1968 after the botched attempt by the Marcos regime to send a special assault team to Sabah to reclaim it.

n a statement, Rasul said the PCID is reiterating the widespread call for a peaceful and diplomatic resolution to the Sabah debacle between the Royal Army of the Sultanate of Sulu and the Malaysian forces.

“We join the United Nations’ call for both parties to dialogue and avoid further destruction of lives and property,” she said.

The group also called on the Malaysian government to allow the Red Crescent to enter the area to be able to provide medical assistance and humanitarian aid to the victims and casualties.


Congress urged: Pass resolution authorizing Malacañang to revive Sabah claim | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com


Malaysia fears World Court solution over Sabah claim, says columnist

BY IDA LIM
MARCH 08, 2013

KUALA LUMPUR, March 8 — Proof showing that Sabah “clearly” belongs to the Sultanate of Sulu has caused Malaysia to be fearful of bringing the dispute to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or to the table for talks, a columnist for a Manila-based paper has claimed.

In an opinion piece titled “Irony: Malaysian-trained Sulu fighters”, Neal H. Cruz said both the Philippine and Malaysian governments could “persuade” the Filipino Muslim rebels in Sabah to leave the state that is part of Malaysia, by either entering into negotiations or going to the ICJ.

“That is for Malaysia to either agree to take the Sultanate of Sulu’s claim to Sabah to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or to negotiate with the Philippine government and the sultanate, with a definite date for the talks to start,” he wrote yesterday.

But he said Malaysia was fearful of taking either option, adding that the country was holding on to Sabah by “sheer force of arms”, possibly referring to Malaysia’s show of military muscle with its all-out strike on Tuesday against the estimated 200-odd Sulu gunmen who had intruded Sabah’s east coast over three weeks ago to press the Sultanate of Sulu’s claim on the state.

“Why is Malaysia afraid to do either? Because historical and documentary evidence clearly prove that Sabah belongs to the Sultanate of Sulu.

“Malaysia is holding on to it by sheer force of arms, just like Hitler did in annexing neighbouring European countries and Tojo did in annexing neighbouring Southeast Asian countries during World War II,” he claimed in his column “As I See It” on the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s news portal.

Calling Sabah the “homeland of Sulu Muslims”, the columnist said that Malaysia should “return” Sabah to its “rightful owners for humanitarian reasons”, adding that the UN should step in before more people die in the clashes in there, which have already left 52 Sulu gunmen and eight Malaysian policemen dead.

Earlier in his column, he said that Sabah is not important to Malaysia, alleging that the federal government in Peninsular Malaysia was neglecting Sabah because of the state’s distance.

“But it is very important to the Filipinos of Sulu, to which it is very close. They need it for trade (there is now a shortage of food in Tawi-Tawi because of the fighting in Sabah) and for jobs and living space,” he said, referring to the Philippine islands Tawi-Tawi, which is near the Sabah east coast and whose residents reportedly buy food from Sabah.

Last Saturday, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima from the Philippines’ Department of Justice reportedly said the government had not ruled out taking the Sulu group’s claim on Sabah to the ICJ, but was carefully studying the case as it did not want to strain its friendship with Malaysia.

The Sultanate of Sulu has laid claim to Sabah, saying it had merely leased North Borneo in 1878 to the British North Borneo Company for an annual payment of 5,000 Malayan dollars then, which was increased to 5,300 Malayan dollars in 1903.

Sabah, however, joined Malaya, Sarawak and Singapore to form Malaysia in 1963, after which Malaysia continued paying an annual stipend of RM5,300 to the Sulu sultanate on the basis of the sultanate ceding the Borneo state.

Yesterday, the Sultanate of Sulu called for a ceasefire to the month-long battle in Sabah, promising to lay down their weapons and take a defensive stance if Malaysian security forces agreed to do the same.

But Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday rejected the call, saying that the Sulu militants must surrender unconditionally instead.

Najib also highlighted the Cobbold Commission’s 1962 referendum in Sabah and Sarawak, where about two-thirds of the people supported the creation of Malaysia, thus exercising their right to self-determination.

THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER


Malaysian media is under tight government control.

and what's so funny about my name? :what:

Bobo ito gago ito kabayan malay kung tunay siya Pilipino alam niya kung ano ibig sabihin ng paganlan mo gago talaga ito hayop na ito gago intsikto! false flager.

To you false flager if you are really a filipino you would know what his name means proving you are a false flager.!
 
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Bobo ito gago ito kabayan malay kung tunay siya Pilipino alam niya kung ano ibig sabihin ng paganlan mo gago talaga ito hayop na ito gago intsikto! false flager.

To you false flager if you are really a filipino you would know what his name means proving you are a false flager.!
I'll just ignore him from now on kabayan kasi useless rin makipag talo sa baliw na yun hehe... inedit ko na reply ko sa kanya. :sick:
 
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Stop derail the thread. You are very inmature.

Leave him. He is not important.

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"To you false flager if you are really a filipino you would know what his name means proving you are a false flager.!"-Zero_wing

False flager, false flager, false flager. Everyday, when you reply to me, there is always that word. That's just weak and immature. Just unoriginal.
 
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