Security forces set to act to end standoff

LAHAD DATU: Malaysian authorities here have told the Philippines government that security forces are set to act against the over armed Filipino group who have occupied a village here if they do not withdraw by today.

Foreign Minister Anifah Aman told the media that he has informed his counterpart Albert del Rosario that the deadline for the armed group, numbering over 100 men, had been extended to today (Sunday) to move out of Kampung Tanduo and return home to the Philippines.

The Philippines government had earlier asked for the deadline to be extended to Tuesday to give them time to persuade Sultan Jamalul Kiram III to order his brother Azzumudie Kiram and the armed men to withdraw from the village in Felda Sahabat 17 where they have been hold up since Feb 9.

The request had been made to Anifah by Rosario after the expiry of the Friday deadline.

“We are hoping with the latest deadline, the standoff will end peacefully,” Anifah told reporters.

Home Minister Hishammuddin Tun Hussein has also stated that he wanted the two-week Sulu standoff between the Malaysian security forces and the Sulu group to “end sooner then later,” without bloodshed.

Hishammuddin confirmed that Anifah had conveyed Manila’s request to him and told reporters in Kluang that his ministry would leave it to the security forces to conduct an operation to end the standoff if the deadline was ignored.

The priority of the armed forces, he said, was to defuse the situation without bloodshed as it could affect Malaysia’s good relationship with the Philippines.

Preparation for the deportation of the Sulu group “is in the final stage,” he added.

Claims over Sabah

Rosario had stated on Friday that the Philippines request for extension till Tuesday was made “on the basis of work still in progress on urging Kiram family to lead the peaceful withdrawal of the group from Lahad Datu as soon as possible.”

While the Philippines government has tried to persuade the Sulu Sultan to take their Sabah claim through diplomatic channels, the Kiram family have been adamant that Azzimudie’s group would stay put in Tanduo.

Talks with Azzimuddie through emissaries are continuing in the Philippines and pressure is mounting on President Benicno Aquino and his administration to resurrect the long dormant Sabah claim following accusations that the Oct 15 peace deal with Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) had left out the Sulu sultanate as well as Nur Misuari’s Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

To help defuse and bring the stand-off to a peaceful conclusion, Philippines Defence secretary Voltaire Gazmin said that he and his Malaysian counterparts including the armed forces of both countries was closely coordinating their actions and exchanging information.

Gazmin said that the Philippines military has enforced a naval blockade in the Sulu Sea to prevent undocumented Filipinos from entering Sabah as reports emerged that other groups from southern Philippines were poised to help Azzimudie’s gunmen.

He said the Sulu group was pursuing its Sabah claim the wrong way and six navy ships and a transport vessel was on standby in Tawi Tawi, about a 15-minute fast boat ride to Tanduo village.

On reports alleging that the Sabah standoff was part of a grand design to derail the peace process in Mindanao, Gazmin said his department was now conducting an investigation to determine its authenticity