Sultanate of Sulu demand the return of Sabah from Malaysia?

[nufix]

What happens if Malaysia stops paying rents?

Then things like this (uprising) would be happening under larger circumstances if Malaysia does not release the lands after stop giving cession money to Sulu. But the "if"s is no more than a prediction, that depends of how strong the will of Sulu sultanate to retake its lands (and how rich the sultan to buy his men weapons).

 

[p3avi8tor69]

This is a big headache for both Malaysia and the Philippines.

Malaysia is in a precarious situation. If violence erupts then it will internationalize this issue, and it could trigger a war to the people of Sulu (Tausugs) and this could possibly drag the Philippines. This will surely create another conflict within ASEAN. That’s why both countries need to bring a swift resolution to this conflict.

You are from a supposedly democratic nation right? Then let's have a vote in Sabah and see how Sabah people feel. I'm 99.95 % sure not a single legal citizen would vote to be Filipino.

 

[Malaya]

Where is proof of Malaysian support on the MNLF and MILF?
Sabah is controlled by Malaysia. What's theirs is definitely theirs.

The problem is it's not theirs. It belongs to the Sultanate of Sulu. The Malaysians were encouraged to hold on to Sabah by the British swindlers and because the Philippines was militarily weaker than the Brits (who had stronger alliance with the USA than us, the claim was discontinued). The lease agreement stipulated that the property cannot be transferred to another party, and yet this is what happened.

Gets mo tangang false flagger

You are from a supposedly democratic nation right? Then let's have a vote in Sabah and see how Sabah people feel. I'm 99.95 % sure not a single legal citizen would vote to be Filipino.

If there is plebiscite held today in Sabah the people would overwhelming decide in favor of Bangsamoro.

 

[Malaya]

Sabah standoff: Karma
By Ramon Tulfo
Philippine Daily Inquirer

If Malaysia is clumsy about handling the Sabah standoff, it will have the same problem the Philippine government had when it fought a Muslim rebellion in the South in the 1970s up to the 1980s.

Malaysia is in a no-win situation as a result of the standoff in Sabah.

If it uses deadly force on a small group of armed Filipino Muslims now holed up in the village of Tanduo in Lahad Datu town in Sabah, members of the fiercest of Philippine Moro tribe, the Tausogs of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, will retaliate.

If, on the other hand, Malaysia compromises with the armed group purportedly belonging to the Sultanate of Sulu, it will be perceived as a weakling by its neighbors.

Which will Malaysia choose, fighting a rebellion in the Sabah state or swallowing its pride and compromise with the Sultanate of Sulu?

Better to be perceived as a weakling rather than have a bloody civil war in Sabah.

* * *

There is no record of the number of Filipinos, mostly Tausogs, in Sabah.

But a friend of mine who used to be in the Philippine military intelligence estimates that one-third of the population in the Malaysian state is Tausog.

Many of the people in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi have relatives in Sabah, which is just one hour by speedboat from Simunul in Tawi-Tawi.

If the Tausogs in Sabah rise up in revolt against the Malaysian government, their relatives in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi will go to Sabah and fight with them.

To the Tausogs, the claim of the group purporting to represent the Sultanate of Sulu that Sabah belongs to the sultanate is legitimate.

The Sulu Sultanate, long dormant and somewhat forgotten because of the war waged by the Tausog-led MNLF against the government, is still revered by Moros in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

Tausogs respect the Sultan of Sulu in much the same way Malaysians pay homage to their royal family.

If harm is done to Rajah Mudah Agbimuddin Kiram, brother of Sultan Jamalul Kiram, who ordered the Mudah Agbimuddin to enter Sabah, his fellow Tausogs in Sabah and in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi will take up arms against the Malaysian government.

Filipino Muslims declare a rido or vendetta against people who harm their relatives.

The Rido has set off feuds between families or clans that last for decades.

Most of the Tausogs in Sabah have relatives in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi who are ready to take revenge if harm is done to Rajah Mudah Agbimuddin Kiram and his armed followers in Lahad Datu town.

My source in Sulu said that even before the landing of 200 men in Lahad Datu last week, the Sultanate had already sent armed men in small groups to Sabah to escape notice from authorities.

The armed groups are being coddled by Tausogs in the Malaysian state.

The ocean border between Sabah and the Philippines is porous or easily penetrated.

Most of the tens of thousands of Filipino illegal immigrants in Sabah entered through this porous border.

It’s very easy for armed Tausogs to enter Sabah and wage a guerrilla war against the Malaysian government should hostilities break out between the Sultanate group and Malaysian police.

Tausogs love to fight and look for reasons to pick a fight.

If Malaysia assumes a violent stance against the Sulu Sultanate group, the Tausogs will have a reason to fight them.

* * *

When the government was fighting the MNLF in the 1970s through the 1980s, Malaysia was secretly supporting the rebellion in the South.

Weapons coming from Libya and other Middle East countries passed through Malaysia on their way to the MNLF.

Now, it seems the shoe is on the other foot.

The law of karma is being played out.


http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/362213/sabah-standoff-karma



Sultan of Sulu says Sabah followers will not fire weapons

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/photo/32886/sultan-of-sulu-says-sabah-followers-will-not-fire-weapons


Don’t Harm Sultan’s Men, Nur Warns Malaysia
By Edd K. Usman
February 21, 2013, 8:03pm

MANILA, Philippines --- Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founding Chairman Nur Misuari yesterday appealed to Malaysia to settle the Sabah standoff peacefully and warned that his group will come to the aid of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III’s followers if blood spills.

“I hope they will not harm them. They (Kiram’s followers) are our brothers. If one drop of their blood is spilled, we might be forced to come to their aid,” Misuari said.

“Please don’t touch them, give them a friendly and brotherly treatment,” Misuari appealed.

Misuari was in Zamboanga City yesterday for the MNLF leadership meeting, which he said was attended by some 2,000 leaders from across Mindanao to discuss various issues facing the Bangsamoro people.

When he was in Jolo, Sulu, over the week, Misuari said that what he heard was that the group of the Crown Prince Rajah Muda Agbimuddin Kiram, younger brother of Kiram, crossed the sea to the island because they were allegedly promised to be settled in Sabah by Prime Minister Dato Seri Haji Mohammad Najib bin Tun Haji Addul Razak.

Misuari appealed to the prime minister to exercise prudence in dealing with the people of the sultan.

“This should be handled by cooler heads,” he said, adding it would also be good to await the coming election in April in Malaysia to see who will be the new prime minister.

Misuari also said the group of Rajah Muda could have gone to Sabah to show their impatient over their claim.

Meanwhile, an ally of Kiram appealed to the Malaysian government yesterday to extend a brotherly Islamic tolerance to the Moro group still holed up in Lahad Datu, Sabah, Malaysia.

Abraham Julpa Idjirani, secretary general of the sultanate and spokesperson of Kiram III, spoke with the Manila Bulletin Thursday.

On the news report about a Friday (today) deadline said to have been issued by Malaysia for the group to leave Sabah, he did not respond specifically about it.

Rather, he reiterated that the rajah muda and his followers will not pull out from their journey home to Sabah.

“I just spoke five minutes ago to the aide-de-camp of the crown prince and also with his son. They told me they are doing fine,” said Idjirani at about 2:05 p.m. Thursday.

As he acknowledged the tolerance shown by the government of Malaysia to the Moro group who sailed to Lahad Datu on February 11, in exercise of their proprietary rights over the oil-rich island.

“We want to thank Malaysia for being tolerant to the sultan’s people,” he said.

On the other hand, he appealed to Malaysia for more tolerance to the brother Muslims.

“We appeal to Malaysia to be more patient and prolong their Islamic tolerance to their fellow Muslims,” said Idjirani.

He said in Islam, forcing people to go hungry is un-Islamic, referring to the Malaysia security forces’ blockade of food supply for the rajah muda and his group.

It started Wednesday, he said.

Idjirani said depriving food to people is also a violation of human rights enshrined in the United Nations.

Kiram III sent his brother and their people to Sabah on what they described as a journey home, crossing the sea from Simunul in Tawi-Tawi.

He said they went there peacefully to stay and claim what is rightfully the Sultanate of Sulu’s ancestral domain.

Meanwhile, the Philippine military has deployed at least six ships and an aircraft near the border of the Philippines and Malaysia in what a Navy official describe as an operation to deescalate the tension in the Sabah standoff.

Lieutenant Commander Gregory Favic, spokesman of the Philippine Navy, said they have started conducting the border patrol on February 12, or right after the news of the standoff in Sabah broke out.

Manila Bulletin

 

[Malaya]

Sultanate of Sulu wants Sabah returned to Phl
By Mike Frialde (The Philippine Star) | Updated February 23, 2013

MANILA, Philippines - The Sultanate of Sulu wants Malaysia to return Sabah to the control of the Philippines, the spokesman for Sultan of Sulu Jamalul Kiram III said yesterday.

Abraham Idjirani issued the statement as he stressed that the almost 200 members of the Royal Army loyal to Kiram III will remain holed up in Lahad Datu in Sabah “for as long as it would take” to resolve a standoff that has lasted for almost a week now.

Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram, the Sultan’s brother, along with his followers went to Sabah under the orders of the Sultanate of Sulu last week to press their bid to reclaim their ancestral land.

Idjirani said the members of the army will not leave Sabah until the issue on control of the area is resolved.

Sabah, formerly known as North Borneo prior to the formation of the Malaysian Federation in 1963, has long been claimed both by the Philippines and Malaysia.

The Philippines is claiming it by way of the heritage of the Sultanate of Sulu, which says that Sabah was only leased to the British North Borneo Co. with Sulu’s sovereignty never relinquished.

This dispute stems from the difference in the interpretation used on an agreement signed between the Sultanate of Sulu and a British commercial syndicate in 1878, which stipulated that North Borneo was either ceded or leased (depending on the translation used) to the British syndicate in return for the payment of 5,000 Malayan dollars per year.

Idjirani said Kiram and the members of his royal army are not making moves to instigate a confrontation with the Malaysian forces surrounding them.

“Raja Muda and his men are just sitting. They remain on alert but there are no untoward incidents,” he said.

Idjirani said some Filipinos living in Sabah have also joined the ranks of the prince’s men.

Meanwhile, Idjirani pleaded to President Aquino to help resolve the issue peacefully.

He said the Sultanate of Sulu has sent a letter to Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, informing him of their demand.

“Being a Filipino citizen, he (President Aquino) should help us,” he said.

Idjirani also called on all Filipinos, both Muslims and Christians, to support the Sultanate of Sulu in its bid to reclaim control of Sabah for the Philippines.

Naval blockade

Meanwhile, the military has enforced a naval blockade in the Sulu Sea to prevent undocumented Filipinos from entering Sabah amid the continuing standoff between the followers of Kiram and Malaysian security forces, the Department of National Defense (DND) said yesterday.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said that while the heirs of the Sultanate of Sulu may have basis for reclaiming Sabah as their ancestral land, the process they are pursuing right now is wrong.

Earlier, the Philippine Navy announced that it has deployed six naval gunboats in the country’s southern backdoor as tensions mounted in Sabah, with the Malaysian authorities issuing an ultimatum to the group of Raja Muda to leave Lahad Datu by yesterday.

“We have put up a naval blockade in the area so that we could stop our undocumented fellow Filipinos from leaving (for Sabah),” Gazmin said.

Peaceful resolution

Malacañang, for its part, maintained yesterday the Philippines’ claim over Sabah would “be dealt with at the proper time and under the correct conditions” and that the priority was still the peaceful resolution of the standoff in Lahad Datu town.

“From the beginning of this incident the administration has been working quietly with the Malaysian government and the Kiram family to peacefully resolve this standoff,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said.

Valte said President Aquino had disclosed he formed a team to look at the historical and legal context of the Sabah claim and that it would be pursued “in a way that upholds the national interest and does not jeopardize our relationship with our good neighbor.”

On Thursday, Aquino confirmed he had been talking to stakeholders in the continued standoff in Sabah, including the family of Kiram III.

“We have been dealing with this. We have been talking to parties concerned, including the family of the sultan, to ensure a peaceful resolution,” Aquino said.

“Of course that doesn’t rest entirely in our hands. There has to be cooperation among all entities to achieve, first, a resolution on the current crisis, and later on probably a long term solution to this dispute,” he said.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario also said that the Philippines has requested Malaysia to extend the deadline for the followers of the Kiram family to leave Lahad Datu. – With Jaime Laude, Aurea Calica, Pia Lee-Brago

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/02/23/912045/sultanate-sulu-wants-sabah-returned-phl




Sultan to Malaysia: Violent move won’t come first from us
By Nikko Dizon
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Saturday, February 23rd, 2013

MANILA, Philippines—Sultan Jamalul Kiram III has ordered his brother and his “Royal Army” in Sabah to keep the barrels of their guns pointed to the ground as an assurance to Malaysia that they were not there to sow violence, the sultan’s spokesperson said Saturday.

Abraham Idjirani told the Philippine Daily Inquirer by phone that four days ago, Kiram sent a letter to Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to pledge that the Sultanate’s followers “came to Sabah to live in peace.”

“The letter said (the Sultan is) pledging to the government of Malaysia that the brother of the Sultan, Rajah Mudah Agbimuddin, will not take any violent step, except if they will be forced to fight against the military of Malaysia. But they will not make the first move,” Idjirani said.

“In fact, the order is to point the barrel of their arms to the ground as proof that there is truth to what they said that they came to Sabah to live in peace,” he added.

Idjirani also said that the Kiram family had sent a letter to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights asking it to look into the reported food blockade implemented by Malaysia against Agbimuddin and his followers.

Agbimuddin and around 300 members of sultan’s Royal Army have been in an section of town of Lahad Datu in Sabah for two weeks now.

The heirs of the sultan of Sulu and their followers sailed to Sabah to pursue their claim on the resource-rich state, saying they felt left out of the peace talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/65329/sultan-to-malaysia-violent-move-wont-come-first-from-us




‘They’re Ready To Die’
My Followers Won’t Yield To Malaysian Pressure – Sultan
By Edd K. Usman

MANILA, Philippines --- They came to Sabah in peace and will not start fighting. But they are ready to die for their cause.

Sultan Jamalul Kiram III of the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo stressed this when asked if his men will yield to pressures from Malaysia during a press conference at the Blue Mosque in Taguig yesterday.

He was asked by the Manila Bulletin on his “final, final, final stand” on Malaysia’s pressure to let his younger brother Rajah Muda Agbimuddin Kiram, the crown prince, to stand down and leave Lahad Datu, Sabah.

The crown prince and hundreds of his men, including members of the sultan’s royal security forces, occupied a village in Tanduao, Lahad Datu, more than 10 days ago.

Mounting pressures from the Malaysian and Philippine governments have not deterred the Moros from their stand to stay on in their “homeland.”

“My final, final, final stand, which does not only come from me, but from those who are there (Sabah), they said, do or die,” Kiram III said.

Sultan Bantilan Kiram, another younger brother of the sultan, echoed his sibling’s statements about the group’s determination not to withdraw.

Kiram III said his brother and his companions are in their homeland, so why should they leave.

He said that he made it clear to his followers who have guns to point them toward the ground to that they did not go there to provoke violence.

Sultan Bantilan Kiram said they are going to hold a consultation shortly with other members of ruling family to discuss more urgent matters regarding the issue.

Madam Hadja Celia Kiram III said the next step is to bring the Sulu sultanate’s Sabah claim to the international community – the United Nations or the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Also in the press conference were Almarin Tillah, former governor of Tawi-Tawi and policy adviser of Sultan Esmail Kiram; Dr. Abdurahman Amin, who is with the convenors of the Friday consultation at the Blue Mosque.

Amin read the convenors’ three-page statement, saying the Muslim communities in Metro Manila, in Luzon, and in Mindanao were hurt by Malacañang’s stand on the Sabah standoff.

While the administration of President Benigno S. Aquino III “is too proud” of its good governance policy, it is “complacent to the sentiments of the constituency as if they are not part of the Philippines,” the convenors said.

They accused the administration of taking Malaysia’s side and made “wild allegations” about sabotaging the government negotiation with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

On the other hand, Madam Kiram III said the royal family is thankful to the President for forming a group to look deeply into the Sabah claim of the sultanate.

She confirmed that Aquino had already sent emissaries to the family to discuss the crisis.

The convenors’ statement also called attention to the administration for what they described as “chilling effect” on the Moro tribes living in Sabah, such as Tausug, Sama, Badjao, Yakan, and Mapun, who have become Malaysian citizens as well as those “economic” refugees on the island.

They called for restraint from the sultanate and Malaysia, saying the entire Muslim community in the Philippines are “deeply concerned.”

“We are calling for ‘direct dialogue’ between the opposing sides without prior conditions” to be held in a neutral ground.

They also urged the secretary general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Indonesia’s Muhammadiyah, “to intervene peacefully and find a win-win solution that shall be sustainable.”

MNLF Seeks UN Help

As this developed, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) appealed to the United Nations to send a peacekeeping force to Sabah to prevent bloodshed.

News reports had it that Malaysia had handed down a Feb. 22 deadline for the men of the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo to stand down and leave.

Malaysian security forces have also imposed a food embargo on the Moros from Mindanao, cutting off their food supply since Wednesday.

As the high-tension drama continues to unravel, MNLF Central Committee Chairman and founder Prof. Dr. Nur P. Misuari convened “over 2,000 (MNLF) leaders” from around the country at the “MNLF Leadership Meeting” last Feb. 21.

After the meeting the participants issued Resolutions Nos. 01, 02, 03.

Prof. Mashur Ghalib bin Jundam, who chairs the MNLF’s education committee, sent copies of the documents to the Manila Bulletin.

Jundam, a close ally of Misuari, said “Maas” (an endearing term meaning “Old Man” for Misuari) conducted the meeting to discuss and address issues and concerns facing the Bangsamoro people.

He said the first resolution is called “Resolution on the Sabah Stand-off between the Forces of the Sultanate of Sulu and the Malaysian Armed Forces.”

In the document, the MNLF leaders expressed a series of appeals to the United Nations, Malaysian government, and the Malaysian prime minister.

At the same time, the participants called on the Malaysian government to settle the Sabah “problem in a fraternal way” to prevent hostility and bloodshed.

Another appeal was also issued to Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak of Malaysia, asking him to deal with the problem calmly and insure full respect for the human rights.

Meanwhile, talks involving the heirs of the Sultanate of Sulu are now underway in hopes of putting a peaceful resolution to the ongoing standoff in the state of Borneo, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Albert del Rosario revealed.

The standoff is now on its second week after group of Filipinos claiming ties with the Royal Army of Sulu arrived in the town of Lahad Datu in Sabah (formerly Borneo) last February 12 to reclaim their ancestral territory. (With a report from Ellson A. Quismorio)

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/395157/they-re-ready-to-die#.USjC0DA6C85




Defense chief: Sultanate could be right on Sabah


MANILA - The Sultanate of Sulu may have basis for its claim on Sabah in Malaysia, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said Friday.

He said Kuala Lumpur pays the sultanate around 5,000 ringgit as annual rent for the area.

"If you are being paid, you have a claim, isn't it? That is your basis there. Even without saying anything, the fact (remains) that you are being paid. Meaning, what is the 5,000 ringgits for?" he said.

However, Gazmin said he is against the use of violence in the issue.

"You can settle this (issue) before going there. In other words, the process leading to their actions is apparently not right," the defense chief added.

He said the government is askin Sultan Ismael Kiram to convince his brother, Kiram Jamalul, and his followers to return to Mindanao.

Philippine military officials are also in talks with their Malaysian counterparts to resolve the issue.

"I'm in touch with the defense minister, Defense Minister (Ahmad Zahidi) Jamid and we are agreeable that this should be solved amicably, peacefully, without any violence whatsoever," Gazmin said.

He said the Philippine Navy deployed ships in Sulu Sea to set up a naval blockade.

Gazmin said Malaysia is cooperating with the Philippines to peacefully resolve the standoff.

"The initial deadline was Wednesday and moved to Friday. Probably, once they see our gesture that we're trying to resolve the issue by getting the right parties to go there, then probably they will extend some more until such time that this is settled very peacefully," he said.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/02/22/13/defense-chief-sultanate-could-be-right-sabah

 

[Malaya]

Amid mounting calls to take a stand on Sabah, PNoy forms team to study PH claim

MANILA, Philippines - Amid mounting calls for the Philippine government to take a stand on the Sabah issue, President Benigno Aquino III announced on Thursday that he had formed a team of experts who would study the country's claim to the territory.

Aquino, in an interview in Iloilo aired over state-run Radyo ng Bayan, said he had found some of the source documents on the Sabah claim to be confusing.

He said among the source documents that had been compiled by the government are the 1878 agreement between the Kiram family and the British North Borneo Company as well the numerous amendments to the accord.

Aquino said the government had also opened its communication lines with the family and supporters of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III.

"We want to ensure a peaceful resolution in Sabah," Aquino said.

Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Leila de Lima, who is part of the team on Thursday said, "We are looking at the validity or legal basis of the claim as well as an assessment of its strength or weakness (of the claim of Sultan Jamalul Kiram) as the case may be.”

De Lima said they had started looking at the available materials and literature, including previous studies.

The DOJ chief said that while there was no deadline given to them, "we know that this is a priority assignment."

"I will try to finish in a few days," De Lima said.


Take a stand on Sabah claim

Lawmakers and legal experts are urging the Aquino admnistration to take a stand on Sabah.

Citizens Battle Against Corruption (CIBAC) partylist Representative Sherwin Tugna on Tuesday said addressing the issue early on would ensure a peaceful solution and avert misunderstanding and violence.

“Let’s not evade this issue anymore. Either make a stand on it or abandon the claim entirely. One way or another it would always find its way in the headlines. This would continue until it is properly and eruditely addressed by both parties,” Tugna said.

On Wednesday, reelectionist Senator Antonio Trillanes IV also urged the Aquino administration to make known its policy on the country's claim to Sabah.

Meanwhile, lawyer Harry Roque, director of the University of the Philippines Law Center's Institute of International Legal Studies, said, "It is incumbent on President Aquino's administration to espouse the claim of the sultanate."

"Certainly, Articel 1 of the 1987 Constitution on the National Territory mandates this," added Roque. - with reports from Philippine News Agency




Sultanate welcomes creation of Sabah study group but nixes deadline to leave

MANILA, Philippines -- While pleased by the move of President Benigno Aquino III to form a study group to review the country’s options on the oil-rich territory of Sabah, Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram II said Friday they have no plans to recall hundreds of followers, some armed, from a village in Lahad Datu where they have been in a standoff with Malaysian authorities.

Speaking to reporters at the Blue Mosque in Taguig City, Kiram said he was not bothered by the reported “ultimatum” issued by Malaysia for his followers, the self-described Royal Sultanate Army, to call off their “intrusion” into Malaysian territory by Friday, February 22.

Kiram attended prayers held by the Muslim community in Maharlika Village.

At the same time, he said they have not received the reported Malaysian ultimatum, leading them to suspect it could be a government ploy to make them back down.

Another representative of the Kiram family, addressing reporters later, said the Philippine government -- to which the Sultanate of Sulu ceded its claim in the 1960S -- has lost, by its decades of neglect and virtual surrender to Malaysia, its authority over Sabah.

The resource-rich territory, which hundreds of thousands of Filipinos from Mindanao have made their home in past years, has reverted to the sultanate, the Kiram representative said.

Responding to a question, she confirmed that Malacanang Palace in recent days had sent emissaries to the Kirams in a bid to resolve the standoff triggered by the sultanate’s followers’ decision to stay in Lahad Datu.

She named Miriam Coronel, chair of the government panel in peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, presidential political affairs adviser Roland Llamas, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Gov. Mujid Hataman, and an unnamed justice undersecretary.

There was a suggestion for Kiram to go to Malaysia and persuade his brother Datu Rajah Muda to come home, but the sultanate rejected this, she added.

She said the decision of the sultan’s followers to stay put in Lahad Datu was “a voluntary effort of the royal forces,” adding that, “if there was an EDSA revolution, I think this is the Sabah revolt of the royal forces.”

Earlier, Kiram expressed confidence the Malaysians will be open to talks and will not use force against their group, noting how hurting a fellow Muslim is haram, or forbidden, in Islam.

“The Sultanate of Sulu is willing to sit down and talk for peace. We want peace,” he said.

But earlier, Kiram said any negotiations with Malaysia should be held in another Muslim country, either Indonesia or Brunei. (with a report from News5)

Sultanate welcomes creation of Sabah study group but nixes deadline to leave - InterAksyon.com

 

[Zero_wing]

We have helped many Asians but they backstab us every time. It wasn't us that enslaved these smaller asian countries but they direct their hate towards us.
We have shown maximum restraint and haven't used economic sanctions. Yet these ungrateful fools always try to blame everything on us. Viets, Pinoys, Koreans, Indians, and others are at fault. When they mature and stop acting like little children and use diplomacy to solve things, then we Asians can unite.

Ha us childish were not claim the whole world and piss every country in the area hahahaha childish

 

[Malaya]

Phl wants diplomatic solution to Sabah standoff

MANILA, Philippines - The government is currently engaged in high-level talks with Malaysian authorities to ensure the safety of Filipinos in Sabah after supporters of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III holed up in Lahad Datu town to press their claim to the land.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario met yesterday with Malaysian Ambassador Zamri Bin Mohd Kassim to follow up the request for an extension of the deadline for the Filipinos to voluntarily leave Sabah.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has yet to receive any confirmation from Malaysia about the request for extension.

The Filipinos were only given until Tuesday by Malaysian authorities to voluntary leave Sabah.

“We are getting mixed signals so we asked that Tuesday midnight deadline be officially confirmed,” Del Rosario said in a text message.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the DFA decided to send a ship to Lahad Datu to fetch those who want to come back safely to the Philippines. Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) troops based in Sabah are reportedly converging near Lahad Datu to respond to any forced eviction of the sultan’s followers, an MNLF source said.

The Philippine Navy ship BRP Tagbanua on Sunday left for Malaysia on a humanitarian mission with social workers and medical personnel on board, to try to fetch five women and some group members.

Abraham Idjirani, spokesman of the sultanate of Sulu and Borneo, said Kiram’s followers would not honor the mercy mission dispatched by the Philippine government to escort his people back to Sulu because there was no formal coordination.

“Based on the pronouncement of Raja Muda, they will not talk to anyone who does not carry the torch from Sultan Kiram,” said Idjirani.

The Philippine and Malaysian authorities have said the group’s demands should be coursed through diplomatic channels. “Number one, on the general proposition that our government, the Malaysian government, and the Kiram family would like to have a peaceful resolution to this entire situation, we continue to hold that prayer,” Lacierda said.

As to what other steps the government will take, Lacierda said, “I am not authorized to speak on that. The DFA will be the office in-charge to lay out our policy on that matter.”

DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez said the secretary had a meeting yesterday morning with the Malaysian ambassador.

“We want to know some details regarding what is happening as far as the Filipinos in Sabah are concerned. We are still hoping they will come back to us with official confirmation,” he said.

The Philippines on Saturday notified Malaysia about the ship arrangement, saying the vessel would stay off Lahad Datu while talks to persuade the Filipinos to return home continue.

Lacierda said he could not conclude whether the talks with the Kirams had failed or if their continued defiance prompted the DFA to send the ship.

“Again, our position has always been consistent. We do not wish bloodshed and we... certainly hope that this situation will be resolved peacefully and that continues to be our prayer,” Lacierda said.

He said the DFA and Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II have been authorized to speak on the matter.

“But, as of now, we would like to hold off any comments. Our priority right now, again, is to end this whole situation peacefully. So pardon me if I will not be able to give you any answer on that point,” he said. Hernandez said Del Rosario also requested the Malaysian government to allow the ship to dock in Lahad Datu to bring food and fetch those who want to go back.

Del Rosario also reiterated his plea for the Filipinos in Sabah to return home for their own safety.

A food blockade is being imposed by the Malaysian authorities around the area, forcing the sultan’s followers to scavenge for food, and they are now reportedly eating root crops.

Lacierda said the ship would stay there as long as it is needed and “the offer to take care of them is there.”

“It’s a humanitarian mission. There are confirmed reports of women but we don’t know of children. That’s why we have social workers together with doctors in the boat to ascertain the situation on the ground,” he said.

The official said the sending of the ship was cleared with the Malaysian government and not with the Kirams.

He expressed hope the report that the Filipinos would not board the ship was not true.

The royal army of the sultanate has reportedly said they were ready to defend themselves if the Malaysian government would force them out of Sabah.

They said they would only return to the Philippines aboard the Navy ship if they were already dead.

Asked about the statement of Kiram that he was open to talk in neutral places like Hong Kong, Brunei, or Singapore, the Palace official said it would be up to the DFA to speak on the matter.

“I think Secretary Del Rosario has already spoken to the foreign minister of Malaysia and I think that’s high-level enough for them. They have been discussing this matter so... with respect, for instance, to the request for extension of deadlines. And, also, Secretary Del Rosario is in touch with the Malaysian ambassador,” he said.

When asked again if the talks with the Kirams really broke down, Lacierda said: “We firmly believe that we need to see the situation on the ground.”

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/02/26/913212/phl-wants-diplomatic-solution-sabah-standoff




Philippines Aquino urges sultan to end Sabah stand-off

Mr Aquino called on Sultan Jamalul Kiram III to urge his supporters to withdraw

Philippines President Benigno Aquino has warned a clan leader that he must end a stand-off involving armed supporters who are occupying a remote part of Malaysia's Sabah province.

In a TV address, Mr Aquino said Sultan Jamalul Kiram III would face the "full force of the law" if the men were not withdrawn from Lahad Datu, on Borneo.

Some 180 people travelled by boat to the district earlier this month.

They were aiming to fortify the sultan's historical claim to the land.

Calling themselves the Royal Army of Sulu, and about 30 of them carrying arms, they had set up camp on the small area of disputed territory, but were soon surrounded by Malaysian police.

"If you choose not to co-operate, the full force of the laws of the state will be used to achieve justice for all who have been put in harm's way," Mr Aquino told the sultan in his statement.

"This is a situation that cannot persist. If you are truly the leader of your people, you should be one with us in ordering your followers to return home peacefully."

He also warned that an investigation was under way into whether any laws had been broken in this "foolhardy act".

'Not invading'

However the sultan's younger brother, Agbinuddin Kiram - who is with the group - said they had not violated any laws as "Sabah is owned by the Sultan of Sulu".

"We're not invading this place because it is ours,'' he told the Associated Press, but said that they were running out of food.

He added: "If the Malaysian police come with guns, we have to defend ourselves."


Malaysia and the Philippines have agreed the stand-off will be settled peacefully. The Philippines has sent a navy ship to the region, carrying food and medical supplies and also social workers and Muslim leaders, in the hope of persuading the sultan's supporters to abandon their goal.

Malaysia's Sabah state shares a sea border with the southern Philippines, which is home to a number of Islamic militant and kidnap-for ransom groups. The journey between the two can take only a few hours.

It formed part of the Sulu Sultanate - which once spread over several southern Philippine islands as well as parts of Borneo - before it was designated a British protectorate in the 1800s.

Sabah became part of Malaysia in 1963, and the country still pays a token rent to the Sulu Sultanate each year.

BBC News - Philippines Aquino urges sultan to end Sabah stand-off





Sulu sultan remains defiant, says followers in Sabah won't go home
February 26, 2013

Rejecting President Benigno Aquino III's appeal, Sultan Jamalul Kiram III said Tuesday his followers would not be leaving Sabah.

"Walang sasakay. I have just talked to my brother and walang sasakay," Kiram said on GMA News TV's News to Go.

On Monday noon, the Philippine Navy's BRP Tagbanua arrived in Sabah to evacuate the sultan's followers.

Asked what they will do if they are forced to leave, crown prince Raja Muda Adbimuddin Kiram, brother of Sultan Kiram and leader of the group in Sabah, said they would resist.

"Lalaban kami. I will say to you straight, lalaban kami because we're fighting for our rights," he said in a telephone interview on News to Go.

Around 180 of Sultan Kiram's followers, some of them allegedly armed as claimed by Malaysian authorities, have been in a standoff with Malaysian police in Sabah since early this month to assert their claim on what they call their ancestral territory.

"Sa ngayon, nanatiling pareho pa rin ang desisyon," said Dayang Dayang Sitti Jacel Kiram, daughter of Jamalul Kiram III, on News to Go.

"Pumunta sila doon not to wage war, hindi para manggulo, but to settle there peacefully. Dahil sa hirap ng buhay na rin na nararanasan ng mga kapatid nating Muslim, lalong lalo na sa Mindanao," she said, adding that they would not leave unless they are given a "concrete solution."

Prepared to fight

In the same television interview, Jacel Kiram said they would not instigate violence, but were prepared to fight should the need arise. "Handa sila, at accepted na nila kung ano man ang mangyayari sa kanila. Just so they would fight for this cause na matagal nang pinaglalaban," she said.

According to Jacel Kiram, her father had told the group that those who wish to leave may do so, but none of the folllowers volunteered to go home. "Ang gusto nila, hanggang kamatayan nila ipaglaban ang cause na ito," she said.

While saying the government cannot be blamed, Jacel Kiram expressed disappointment at the lack of support. "We are bound by the Constitution, yes we are bound by Philippine [laws]. Sana nga maramdaman namin na parte kami ng Pilipinas, na prinoproteksyonan kami ng sarili naming gobyerno," she said, adding that the government needs to balance diplomatic relations and the interests of its constituents.

Reacting to Aquino's investigation into possible violations of laws by Kiram, Jacel Kiram said the government should also examine the country's history, in order to see that the Sulu sultanate has "always been subservient to the government of the Philippines."

"Napaka-loyal at napaka-masunurin namin. Ang daming usapan na nangyari about this issue, but it's all talk and those talks have never been walked," she said, adding that if the government is serious about attaining peace in Mindanao, "the sultanate of Sulu must be considered."

"Alam naman natin ang pinagugatan nito. Ang mga claim ng mga ilang grupo na we want to have an autonomy in Mindanao, kailangan suriin natin na ano ba ang basehan nila for claiming their autonomy," said Jacel Kiram.

Sabotage talks?

According to Moro Islamic Liberation Front vice president Ghadzali Jaafar, Kiram's followers went to Sabah in an attempt to sabotage the Bangsamoro framework agreement between the government and the MILF.

"Hindi totoong mayroong isa mang Bangsamoro na hindi sakop ng framework agreement at excluded sa Bangsamoro government," Jaafar said in the same News to Go report.

Reacting to the statement, Jacel Kiram said the MILF knows what should really be resolved. "As to the timing, ang tagal na naming nanahimik. Ito ay hindi nairesolba noon at mas lalong hindi maireresolba bukas. Now is the time to resolve this issue," she said.

Earlier in the day, Aquino questioned how the group was able to go to Sabah, citing information indicating the Kirams are not in very good financial condition.

Jacel Kiram said that while this was true, their followers contributed whatever they could to the cause. "Ang mga politicians, maraming tao dahil maraming pera. Pero mabibilib ka dito, pag sinuri mo. Wala kaming pera, we may not be in a very good financial condition, but we have people who are willing to die for this cause dahil nakita nila na kahit kailan hindi kami nang agrabdyado," she said.

She also appealed to the President to investigate how the letter that Kiram had sent to him through the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process could have been lost.

"Sa sulat nga namin sa Presidente, that we are willing, kung sino man ang may kagustuhan ng kapayapaan in Mindanao, kami ang nangunguna ng kagustuhan na iyon. We wrote a letter to the President pero hindi natin alam kung papaano nawala ang sulat," she said.

Jacel Kiram stressed the group went to Sabah in the hope that they could find a good life there. "Ito ay kagustuhan ng ating mga tao in the sultanate of Sulu dahil hirap na hirap na po ang kababayan natin sa Sulu," she said, urging the Philippine government to study the issue and support them in their cause.

"Maraming salamat sa effort sa pagaaral sa issue na ito. Sana madaliin natin. The clock is ticking and the hour may be late," she said. — Carmela Lapeña/RSJ, GMA News

Sulu sultan remains defiant, says followers in Sabah won't go home | News | GMA News Online

 

[Malaya]

US Duty Bound To Defend Sultan Of Sulu?
By Edd K. Usman

MANILA, Philippines --- America has a “historical and moral obligation” to assist the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo in times of trouble based on the 1915 Kiram-Carpenter Agreement.

Abraham J. Idjirani, the official spokesman of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III and the sultanate, said, quoting the Kiram-Carpenter Agreement, that “the US government assured full protection to the Sultan of Sulu should the question of Sabah in the future arise between him and any foreign authority.”

In fact, if negotiations were to be re-visited on the issue of the sultanate’s ownership of Sabah (North Borneo) and the United Kingdom’s turnover of the island to Malaysia, there are other countries that should be involved, Idjirani said. These are the United States, Spain, UK, and Germany.

Idjirani said Spain, UK, and the Germany were involved in the 1885 Madrid Protocol; Spain and US in the Treaty of Paris of 1989; and the Jan. 2, 1930 Convention Treaty between UK and US

However, he said the sultan has not yet reached the point to call on the US or the other countries for assistance.

“If the sultan becomes aggressive in his activities (claiming Sabah), the US hopefully will intercede,” said Idjirani.

“What the sultan has been praying for is that the Philippines will intercede (on the Sabah claim) because he has a strong belief on the President),” said Idjirani.

By his reckoning of the Kiram-Carpenter Agreement signed in 1915, the American government had accepted placing the sultanate under US protectorate.

“Here, America has a big historical and moral obligation, because even if Mindanao, Sulu, and Palawan were given to the Philippine Commonwealth, the Kiram-Carpenter Agreement was not abrogated,” said Idjirani, also the secretary general of the sultanate.

He said that even during the Commonwealth government, the US recognized its obligation, he said.

Idjirani tackled the 1915 Kiram-Carpenter Agreement in the wake of the statement of United States Ambassador to the Philippines Harry K. Thomas that the issue concerns Malaysia and the Philippines, thus America will not get involved.

In the Kiram-Carpenter Agreement, Idjirani said the US government affirmed the recognition made by the 1899 Kiram-Bates Agreement on the lease of North Borneo (Sabah) by British Company’s Gustavus Baron de Overbeck and later to Beck.

The sultanate’s spokesperson said, quoting the Kiram-Carpenter Agreement, that “the US government assured full protection to the Sultan of Sulu should the question of Sabah in the future arise between him and any foreign authority.”

In November 2012, Kiram III issued a royal decree authorizing his younger brother, Rajah Muda Agbimuddin Kiram, the crown prince, and over 200 men, women, and members of the royal security to go on a journey home to Sabah, which they did from Simunul, Tawi-Tawi, on Feb. 11.

Idjirani said the Rajah Muda and his men left Simunul, which is near Sabah, in the evening of Feb. 11 and landed in Lahad Datu at about 1:30 p.m. the next day.

Incidentally, the descendants of the Sultan of Sulu left for Sabah on the day President Benigno S. Aquino III made the historic visit to the bastion of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Crossing Simuay, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.

Aquino and the MILF’s Chairman Al-Hajj Murad Ebrahim launched a socio-economic program for MILF communities through what is called Sajahatra “Peace” Bangsamoro.

But Idjirani said the date was a mere coincidence.

It’s All About ‘Marathabat’

Idjirani said the Sabah standoff is all about “marathabat,” not money.

Idjirani said this was made clear yesterday by the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo (Sabah).

Among the various tribes of the Moros of Mindanao, “marathabat” (which means honor, pride) is a treasured possession of a family.

On the ultimatum that the Malaysian government has issued a 48-hour period for the group of the crown prince to leave peacefully and return to the Philippines, Idjirani said “it is a signal” for them to pull out.

But the sultan believes that Malaysia will not resort to violence and is praying that there would be no violence, Idjirani said.

He cited the Muslim Holy Book, Qur’anul Kareem, which states that getting something that is not yours is a sin even until the Day of Judgment.

Malaysia’s putting Sabah under its federation in 1963 was illegal.

“We are all of the Malay race,” he said, apparently hoping that on that score both sides will not act in a violent way to drive the group of the crown prince.

He lamented that the Philippines has not sent even a humanitarian assistance to the Muslim Filipinos in Lahad Datu.

As this developed, Malacañang said the humanitarian ship deployed by the Philippine government will remain in Sabah for as long as it is needed.

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, in a press briefing yesterday, also appealed to the Muslim women to urge their fellow Muslims in Sabah to go back home.

Malaysia Arrests

Kiram Cousin

Meanwhile, Malaysian security forces arrested Monday Salip Asaral-Asmad, KiramIII’s maternal first cousin, in Lahad Datu, Sabah, where the sultan’s followers are holed up.

Idjirani described Asaral-Asmad as a long-time resident of Sabah and a Malaysian citizen.

The report on his arrest broke out while Kiram III was holding his second press conference for the day at past 4 p.m.

Idjirani received a call from Datu Amer Bahar Kiram, another descendant of the sultanate’s ruler, reporting the arrest of Asaral-Asmad Monday morning.

The arrest came a day after Vice President Jejomar Binay met with Kiram III at his residence in Taguig City.

In that 35-minute meeting on Sunday night, Binay was quoted as saying: “Sabah is ours, because Malaysia is paying us rent.”

But the Vice President clarified to the sultanate’s leader that he was speaking as lawyer and not as the second highest elected official of the Philippines. (With reports from Madel S. Namit and Roy C. Mabasa)

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/395528/us-duty-bound-to-defend-sultan-of-sulu#.USxOWDA6C84

 

[Saleem]

"sultan" in the 21st century?

 

[nufix]

"sultan" in the 21st century?

Malaysia's kings except those who came from Perlis and Negeri Sembilan are using the title Sultan.

 

[Dubious]

I am a little confused here, does the Sultan of Sulu
want to RECREATE Sultanate of Sulu OR
want Sabah to come under Philippines?
I mean if Sabah goes under Philippines, he wont exactly be a Sultan now would he....What's his purpose than? What next: To fight against Philippines next?

"sultan" in the 21st century?

@Saleem Have you not heard of the Sultan of Malaysia, the Sultan of Oman, the Sultan of other Nations? Or have you not heard of Queen Elizabeth? Monarchies are present EVERYWHERE Monarchies in Europe - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
They use Kingdom Muslims use Sultanate

 

[nufix]

I am a little confused here, does the Sultan of Sulu
want to RECREATE Sultanate of Sulu OR
want Sabah to come under Philippines?
I mean if Sabah goes under Philippines, he wont exactly be a Sultan now would he....What's his purpose than? What next: To fight against Philippines next?

As we followed the simple timeline and some statements from the Sultan himself, we can conclude that his Sultanate is never relinquished, that means his reign is still exist. At first, Sulu wants to retake its lands via Philippines claim because IMHO, Phil government recognized Sulu's existence and reign over Sabah, by making Sabah become Phil's will indirectly return his reign over Sabah.

 

[Dubious]

self deleted

 

[auspice]

Yes. You are absolutely right. There must be a cut-off point in the history of every civilization as there is also a starting point to the birth of a nation. As far as Sabah is concerned, we were an independent nation for 16 days before September 16, 1963 and I think all Sabahans know this.

Didn't Malaysia move all their squatters from other states to Sabah so that they'd vote and let it appear that Sabahans want to be part of Malaysia? If Sabah is part of Malaysia and if the 'vote of the majority' as you were referring is valid then why does Malaysia continue to pay (a measly) rent to the heirs of the Sulu Sultanate? That pittance amount that the British started paying to the Sultan hundred years ago didn’t even appreciate and adjusted to the annual inflation. My god it’s a bargain. Malaysia has no shame in holding on to a territory that it does not own.

That is stupid. This whole thing is a farce. So you want to loose whatever little diplomatic leverage you have in SEA? Go ahead shoot yourself. You never had any claims whatsoever prior to the late 60's and early 70's. This is cheap and shallow patriotism from Philippines. Go ahead and make more enemies.

You are dumb. The rights have been transferred to the Phililippine Government during President Macapagal in 1962 so it is now Philippines responsibility to get that property back as territory. Malaysia have been siphoning most of the resources and still have the face to tell everyone they are paying token rent in respect to the Sultans. I wonder if it is respect or slap on the face they meant.

This is a big headache for both Malaysia and the Philippines.
Malaysia is in a precarious situation. If violence erupts then it will internationalize this issue, and it could trigger a war to the people of Sulu (Tausugs) and this could possibly drag the Philippines. This will surely create another conflict within ASEAN. That’s why both countries need to bring a swift resolution to this conflict.

Philippines sovereignty should weigh more than friendly relation with Malaysia.

Where is proof of Malaysian support on the MNLF and MILF?
Sabah is controlled by Malaysia. What's theirs is definitely theirs.

You fool! you don't really have a common sense. The uprising of Muslim rebellion in the South starting in the early 70's was obviously supported by Malaysia. Their objective was for the Philippines to focus its attention and resources to the Muslim insurgents and forget about Sabah.


Anyway the issue here is whether the heirs of the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo own Sabah and has the corresponding rights inherent from that ownership and we all know the answer to that.

Shame on the Philippine President for cowering under the table with his tail tucked on his behind even without a single shot from Malaysia. Such cowardice is treason in the plainest of terms. How sickening! For years the Sultan's heirs were waiting for the Government to act on their behalf, and they have waited in vain. Now, the heirs have awaken from their stupor and have decided to take action to assert what is rightfully theirs and have shown true leadership. The Philippines does not care a single bit on pressing the ownership claim of the Sultanate of Sulu. They wouldn't even perform any actions in bringing the matter to the attention of the international community. There's not even a single act done to pressure the Malaysian Government to recognize the true owners of Sabah Tsk tsk

Well they say silence is gold in this matter, silence is like the chemical arsenic, it kills you slowly and killing the rightful claim of the true owners of Sabah, which are the Sultan of Sulu's heirs. It is truly sickening and enraging the way Britain and Malaysia stabbed the Sultan's heir at the back when they annexed Sabah, but what is a thousand times revolting is the silence of our leaders with regards to the issue. That is like stabbing your countrymen at the back a hundred times more.