A villager pulls a sampan with the body of a dead Filipino militant that was killed on Saturday, for removal at Simunul village in Sabah’s Semporna district on March 4, 2013. A spokesman for a group of Sulu militants denies receiving funds from the Malaysian opposition. – Reuters picKUALA LUMPUR, March 5 – A spokesman for a group of Sulu militants who had intruded into Sabah today said the Malaysian opposition did not channel funds to him, a Philippine news portal reported.
“Abrahma Idjirani, spokesperson of the Sultanate of Sulu, reiterated Tuesday that he is not receiving funds from the Malaysian opposition, stressing that if it were true he wouldn’t make travels on a tricycle,” the Inquirer.net reported, citing the spokesman’s interview with radio station Radyo Inquirer 990AM.
Idjirani’s denial comes after at least two media reports that surfaced over the past few weeks where unnamed Philippine intelligence sources had claimed that the intrusion of the self-styled royal Sulu Sultanate army was encouraged by a leader from the Malaysian opposition.
Two days ago, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had said the government will probe the allegation.
Early this morning, an attack was launched by the Malaysian army on the estimated 200-odd Filipino militants that had holed up in Kampung Tanduo, a village near Lahad Datu, for over three weeks.
The Star Online reported that the armed Sulu group suffered a total defeat, citing police sources. The Inspector-General of Police told reporters later this morning that no Malaysians were killed in the attack, but the casualties on the Filipino side remained unknown.
Previous clashes between the Filipino rebels and Malaysian security forces in Lahad Datu and Semporna on Sabah’s east coast have left eight Malaysian policemen and 20 Filipino militants dead.
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