Malaysians take it to Twitter to oppose a unilateral ceasefire by Sultan Jamalul Kiram III of Sulu.
PETALING JAYA: Kota Belud MP Abdul Rahman Dahlan is currently leading Malaysians via micro-blogging site Twitter to oppose the ceasefire called by Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram lll.
Abdul Rahman said Sabah will remain in the Federation of Malaysia and Jamalul’s call for ceasefire cannot be trusted.
“Sabah’s future is with Malaysia. Period. No amount of intimidation from some rag tag army will ever change that fact.
“Now want ceasefire? How to believe them when they kept changing minds during negotiations; waved white flag and yet opened fire and killed two commandos?
“They are asking for ceasefire and a window of opportunity to take back remaining intruders. Can you believe the audacity these people have?
“Previously they said they won’t surrender and willing to die for their cause. Now they ask for ceasefire. This isn’t a game Kiram!” read his posting.
Jamalul Kiram declared a unilateral ceasefire for 12:30 pm (0430 GMT) and urged Malaysia to reciprocate, according to a statement read out by his spokesman in Manila, reported AFP.
The call for ceasefire was made to prevent loss of lives among his soldiers in Sabah.
Early last month, a group of 250 men claiming to be soldiers of the Sulu Sultan seized a village in Tanduo, Lahad Datu.
Last week, eight policemen who were deployed to Lahad Datu and Semporna died as a result of mortar attacks by the Sulu men who are from the modern day Philippines.
Since Tuesday, the Royal Malaysian Air Force conducted air bombardment in the area where the Sulu were believed to be holding up.
According to the Sulu Sultanate spokesman Abraham Idjirani, 10 of their men were dead, four injured and 10 more detained by the security forces.
‘Get lost from Lahad Datu’
Abdul Rahman’s sentiments against the ceasefire was also shared by other Malaysians. Hulu Selangor MP, P Kamalanathan of MIC remarked: “What ceasefire? Hello! Get lost from Lahad Datu..lah Mr. Sultan Sulu and team.”
Twitter user known as Jolene F Robin Gitom said: “They claimed Sabah and brought with them guns and mortar. How could we let them go away? Justice must be served!”
Another Twitter user Ngayau who tweets on @mdfirsdaus said: “Don’t trust them. They are buying time to regroup and counter attack. Lives at stake here. Shoot them first, negotiate later.”
One more user on @azrilbangsar said: What ceasefire? They are criminals. If a drug pusher shoots a cop and calls for ceasefire, is that okay?”
In a latest development, Malaysia rejected the ceasefire proposal.
Surrender unconditionally
Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi rejected the ceasefire offer by the self-styled Sulu Sultan unless his fighters who launched a deadly incursion “surrender unconditionally”.
“A unilateral ceasefire is not accepted by Malaysia unless the militants surrender unconditionally,” Zahid said on his Twitter feed.
Zahid added: “Don’t believe the ceasefire offer by Jamalul Kiram. In the interest of Sabahans and all Malaysians, wipe out all the militants first.”
Jamalul had sent his followers from their southern Philippine island homes across the Sulu Sea to assert an ancestral claim on Sabah, located on Borneo’s northern tip.
Jamalul’s ceasefire call came after UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged a peaceful resolution to the bizarre incursion, Malaysia’s biggest security crisis in years.
The Malaysian government tried for three weeks to persuade the invaders to leave but launched a military assault Tuesday after they continually refused and engaged security forces in a pair of deadly shootouts.
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