LAHAD DATU - The Philippines Saturday called for a peaceful resolution to a tense stand-off between Malaysian forces and a group of gunmen claiming to be followers of the heir of a former Borneo sultan.
The group, estimated at 200 with dozens believed to be armed, landed by boat near here from Philippines on Tuesday.
Police say the group has declared itself followers of a former Philippine-based Islamic sultanate that once controlled parts of Borneo, including the stand-off site, and is refusing to leave Malaysian territory.
Philippine President Benigno Aquino's spokeswoman Abigail Valte said Saturday the safety of the Filipinos was the government's main concern as Malaysian armed forces and police have locked down the area.
"The primary concern now is their safety and to resolve the incident peacefully," Valte said in a radio interview in Manila.
She said the Philippines had received assurance from Malaysia that the government would encourage the group, which Manila has yet to identify, to leave the area peacefully.
Police have set up a series of road blocks along the route leading from Lahad Datu through palm oil plantations to the remote village where the gunmen are. Marine police were also patrolling the sea.
The group involved in the impasse has claimed to be adherents of the former Sulu sultanate, a regional power centre until its demise a century ago.
A Philippine military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP Friday the group was demanding an increase in the nominal amount Malaysia pays, under a long-standing agreement, to the heirs of the sultanate for possession of Sabah.
Sabah has a history of incursions by armed Philippine groups, and the prickly situation could test ties between the neighbours, who are fellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
In the worst incident, guerrillas of the Islamic militant Abu Sayyaf movement seized 21 mostly Western tourists at the Sabah scuba diving resort of Sipadan in 2000. They were taken to Philippine islands and later ransomed. - AFP
"The primary concern now is their safety and to resolve the incident peacefully,"
ReplyDeleteSemoga tiada kecederaan yang akan berlaku.
Jika adanya golongan yang mengancam ketenteraman maka pihak berkuasa harus bertindak.
ReplyDeleteKeselamatan harus sentiasa diutamakan.
DeletePerundingan perlu di buat untuk memastikan tidak ada pertumpahan darah.
DeleteRakyat berhak tahu apa yang sedang berlaku.
ReplyDeletePenjelasan pasti akan di berikan kepada rakyat.
DeleteKerajaan philipnes harus kerjasamam agar kes ini dapat diselesaikan dengan wajar.
ReplyDeleteKerjasama kedua negara harus dipertingkatkan supaya isu ini dapat ditanggani dengan wajar.
DeletePolice have set up a series of road blocks along the route leading from Lahad Datu through palm oil plantations to the remote village where the gunmen are. Marine police were also patrolling the sea.
ReplyDeletePihak berkuasa akan membuat terbaik untuk menjamin keselamatan tidak tergugat.
Golongan yang membawa isu harus diambil tindakan yang tegas.
ReplyDeleteKeharmonian harus dipeliharakan.
ReplyDeleteKerajaan Malaysia akan melakukan yang terbaik, termasuk melalui perundingan, bagi menangani isu pencerobohan sekumpulan warga Filipina di perairan negara di Lahad Datu
ReplyDeleteambil menegaskan keadaan di Lahad Datu, bahagian pantai timur Sabah terkawal, Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak berkata tindakan itu penting bagi memastikan kumpulan yang berjumlah antara 80 dan 100 anggota itu “keluar dengan selamat ke Selatan Filipina”, sekaligus mengelak pertumpahan darah.
ReplyDeleteAngkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM) bekerjasama dengan polis mengambil tindakan segera berhubung perkara itu.
ReplyDeletePasukan keselamatan telah menahan sekumpulan warga asing menyamar sebagai anggota tentera cuba menceroboh perairan negara di Lahad Datu.
ReplyDeleteMenteri Pertahanan Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi berkata beliau mengarahkan Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM) bekerjasama dengan pasukan polis mengambil tindakan segera berhubung perkara itu.
ReplyDelete"Kita tidak mahu sebarang unsur pendedahan mengenai pertahanan negara berlaku di mana-mana kawasan di negara ini termasuk di Lahad Datu," katanya kepada pemberita pada majlis penyerahan memorandum sokongan kepada Barisan Nasional (BN) daripda 28 badan bukan kerajaan di kawasan Bagan Serai hari ini.
ReplyDeleteKatanya, langkah itu juga bagi memastikan tindakan segera diambil bagi menentukan pertahanan dan keselamatan negara berada pada tahap maksimum.
ReplyDeleteBagaimanapun beliau enggan mengulas lanjut dan meminta kerjasama daripada pihak kerajaan negara berkenaan bagi menyelesaikan perkara itu.
ReplyDeleteKedaulatan dan keselamatan Sabah tidak akan dikompromi.
ReplyDeleteInsiden itu bukanlah suatu mainan dan media massa dan media sosial janganlah melakukan sesuatu yang boleh menjejaskan operasi pihak berkuasa untuk menyelesaikan masalah itu.
ReplyDelete