Deputy premier, Muhyiddin Yassin, says the 'sensitive' situation could turn out positive for BN in the coming elections if government resolves it peacefully.
LAHAD DATU: With a series of vague deadlines set by Malaysian security forces having passed, a wait-and-see approach has been adopted as an armed Sulu group remained entrenched in a village here.
Talk of Malaysian security forces being ready to launch a strike to retake Kg Tanduo fizzled out after the latest deadline to for the armed group to leave Sabah passed.
Manila, meanwhile, has enforced a blockade off Tawi Tawi in the Southern Philippines with the deployment of six naval ships to prevent an escalation of the situation in the region by those hoping to benefit from the standoff.
Relatives of the “Sulu Sultan” have insisted that the armed group will remain in Kg Tanduo and will consult their followers soon on the next move.
While the public are by and large calm, questions about the “invasion” are the hot topic here. Police roadblocks and the cordon around the village is into its third week without any independent confirmation of a foreign force in the village.
Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who is on a two-day visit to Sabah and Labuan, said that the incident could turn out to be a positive thing for BN in the coming elections if the government could consequently bringing about the best solution to the problem.
“The government is doing everything possible to work out a peaceful solution to a “sensitive” problem. They are seeing how well we can manage any situation,” he said after meeting Sabah Barisan Nasional leaders.
Disagreeing with critics that the situation had been badly handled he said: “We are thankful this matter is being handled carefully and wisely by our authorities.”
While critics have had a field day lambasting the government, the deputy prime minister insisted that the security situation in Sabah should not be compromised in any way.
He said what was crucial was for the standoff to be resolved, if possible, without any bloodshed as stated by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, Home Minister Hishamuddin Hussein and the Inspector General of Police.
“We would like to resolve it without any negative impact to the state or the nation,” he added.
The remote seaside Kampung Tanduo at Felda Sahabat 17 where some 150 gunmen led by Raja Muda Azzimudie Kiram have been holding up since Feb 9 remains cordoned off.
Aquino urges gunmen urged to surrender
The gunmen have among others demanded that they be recognised as the Sultanate of Sulu Royal Army and that Malaysian authorities not deport their kin from Sabah.
In Manila, Fatimah Cecillia, a spokesperson for Sultan Kiram, said that they would consult their followers regarding their next move as the family wanted the Sabah issue to be resolved.
Philippines President Benigno Aquino’s administration has urged the Sultan to recall his armed followers from Sabah, warning of further “deterioration” if they refuse to leave.
“I’m disappointed to learn that the message the emissary is carrying is for them to stay put as this will not help diffuse the situation,” Interior Secretary Mar Roxas told the Philippines Inquirer.
Roxas said that the Philippines government would help any emissary from the Kiram family reach Sabah to help defuse the situation over the family’s insistence to pursue the long dormant Sabah claim.
Aquino has also asked the Sulu gunmen to give up peacefully.
“Going there with arms is not the way to resolve this. When you brandish arms, naturally the other side has only one way to respond to such a challenge,” he said in his first public comment on the incident on Thursday.
Aquino said that his government has been talking to all parties, including the Sultan’s family, to find a peaceful solution.
Philippines navy spokesman Lt Comm Gregory Fabic said the six navy ships were only patrolling the waters off Tawi Tawi islands and that they are half-hour away by speed boat from the seaside village of Tandau where the Sulu group is holed up.
He said the naval vessels have not been given instructions regarding the return of the Sulu group.
“We are hoping that this will be resolved peacefully. If they are retreating, we are not there to help them because we need instructions if they can be picked up,” Fabic said.
He said that should a conflict arise between the Malaysian security forces and the Sulu armed group, their (Philippines) hands will be tied.
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