Sulu RCI must dissect military intel lapse, Kit Siang says

Ten security personnel have lost their lives in the days following the Sulu invasion of Lahad Datu. — File picKUALA LUMPUR, March 24 ― The royal inquiry on the Sulu invasion must include an examination of Malaysia’s lax border security and whether political interference in military operations had caused the loss of Malaysian lives, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang said today.

The veteran politician said a cloud of mystery still shrouded why it took the Malaysian armed forces 23 days to launch their attack on the Filipino militants, allowing the group enough time to organise their forces and settle comfortably in Lahad Datu’s Kampung Tanduo.

“Why did the various agencies not to stop the intrusion of the Suluk armed men on February 9?” Lim said in a statement here as one of his suggested reference terms for the panel, which he said should only commence its probe after Election 2013.

A band of 235 Filipino militants, led by the brother of self-proclaimed Sulu “Sultan” Jamalul Kiram III, Agbimuddin Kiram, landed in Lahad Datu on February 9 after navigating the loosely guarded 40-minute sea passage from the Philippines’ “southern backdoor” to Sabah.

In Kampung Tanduo, the armed men set up camp, telling villagers not to worry as they meant no harm and were merely there to press the Sultanate’s ownership of Sabah.

Their landing did not prompt immediate action from local security forces as, according to Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein on February 18, the group merely comprised “malnourished” and elderly men in sarongs and slippers, and were mostly unarmed.

It was only on March 5, four days after separate skirmishes killed 10 Malaysians, when the military kicked off “Ops Daulat”, using the full force of the country’s defence forces to flush out the armed rebels.

Lt-Gen (R) Datuk Abd Ghafir Abd Hamid, a former deputy army chief here said recently that it was political interference in security operations that had caused the “complete failure” of Malaysia’s military intelligence on two counts: to pre-empt the Sulu group’s landing and to stop the incursion from the start.

Noting this, Lim said the royal panel must find out how there could have been such a major security and intelligence lapse in Malaysian territorial waters that the ragtag group of Suluks had so easily entered Lahad Datu.

“The RCI should investigate into all these and other allegations in the greatest depth, neutrality and impartiality,” he said.

Lim was referring to the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) announced by Hishammuddin yesterday to investigate the armed incursion by the Sulu terrorists.

The minister had said that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak would reveal more details on the royal panel tomorrow, possibly regarding the commission’s members and their scope of investigation.

Lim called for non-partisan support for the panel and urged the Najib administration to consult members of the opposition first before deciding on the RCI’s terms of reference.

“Let us not blemish the great sacrifices of our 10 national heroes with petty divisions and agendas. Let all Malaysians, including the PM, DPM, Cabinet Ministers, political leaders whether BN or PR, rise above their partisan differences and unite as one patriotic Malaysian people on this issue,” he said.

“Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders are prepared to do this. Are Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders, including the PM, DPM, Cabinet Ministers and the Sabah Chief Minister, prepared to do the same?” he asked.

To date, the Sulu incursion has claimed the lives of 10 Malaysians ― eight policemen and two soldiers ― and 63 Sulu militants. The authorities have also rounded up 416 individuals on suspicion of their support for the rebellion and charged eight Filipinos with waging war against the King.