The Philippine Daily Inquirer’s website quoted a Sabah radio station reporter as saying that he heard heavy firing after 10 am today, but did not name the reporter.
The website also quoted some villagers as witnessing bodies being removed, adding that Malaysian authorities have declined comment at press time.
About 180 Filipino rebels, including 30 gunmen, invaded Sabah on February 9 and have refused to leave, despite pleas from the Malaysian and Philippine governments.
A son of rebel group leader Agbimuddin Kiram reportedly said today that it was the Malaysian army, backed by the police, who opened fire.
Broadcaster Solar News Channel’s online news site also reported that both sides have suffered fatalities.
Agbimuddin’s family denied that Agbimuddin, who is the brother of self-proclaimed Sulu Sultan Jamallul Kiram III, was arrested by the Malaysian authorities, according to Solar News.
Jamallul reportedly said the rebels would not retreat despite the assault.
Residents in Lahad Datu told The Malaysian Insider that business owners were closing shops near the town and on the outskirts while parents were picking up their children from schools.SAPP chief Datuk Yong Teck Lee tweeted that MAS has suspended flights to Lahad Datu.
He said several military flights landed this morning, according to locals.
The Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez was quoted by Solar News as saying that shooting has stopped as of noon.
The Filipino invaders declared yesterday that they would never surrender and were willing to die in Sabah.
The armed group, suspected of being a faction of a Philippine Muslim rebel group, claims to belong to the “royal army” of the Sulu sultanate.
The bizarre drama had threatened to stir tension between the Southeast Asian neighbours whose ties have been periodically frayed by security and migration problems caused by a porous sea border.
News wire Reuters had reported that Malaysia pays a token sum to the Sultanate of Sulu each year for the “rental” of Sabah — an arrangement that stretches back to British colonial times.
In 2000, a group of militants from the southern Philippines kidnapped 21 tourists from the Sabah diving resort of Sipadan.
In 1985, 11 people were killed when gunmen, believed to be from the southern Philippines, entered Lahad Datu, shooting at random before robbing the local branch of Standard Chartered Bank.
Police ready to take action any time – CP
ReplyDeleteLAHAD DATU: Police say they ready to take action but would wait for an appropriate time to do it.
State Police Commissioner, Datuk Hamza Taib, yesterday said that they have to take certain measures and consider all possibilities including a closer study of the areas.
He said the police are aware of the number of the armed group members and have sufficient weapons to deal with them.
However, he said, the security forces are still giving them an opportunity to surrender peacefully as the lives of the security forces are more important.
“We will try to avoid any bloodshed but if the armed group forces us to act, we will take appropriate action.
“If possible, we would like to arrest them and take action in accordance with the law against them, but if they force us to act, we will take approprate action,” Hamza said in a press conference, accompanied by State Crime Investigation Chief, SAC Omar Mammah.
Hamza said that the police are not setting any dateline on solving this issue but will be taking action soon.
“We believe they have received our flyers urging them to surrender peacefully and that we will take legal action against them. But so far we have not received any response from the group,” said Hamza.
He reiterated that the police are still very much in charge of this issue as it involves internal security, but said they were also working together with the army and other security forces.
He said the security forces are not under any pressure regarding this incident from the ministry.
Meanwhile, Hamza confirmed that security forces heard gunshots from the armed Filipino group.
“Yesterday (Wednesday), we heard gunshots from the armed Filipino group but we are always ready for any eventuality,” he said.
Hamza stressed that their objective was clear and that was to maintain the current situation until further instruction from the higher authorities.
The revelation by Hamza confirmed an online news portal which had reported that the armed intruders fired their guns to warn off the Malaysian security forces.
Semakin nyata akan bahaya yang ditimbulkan oleh Anwar IBrahim dalam pemburuannya untuk menjadi Perdana Menteri Malaysia.
ReplyDeleteKalau pada tahun 1996 dahulu, dia telah menjemput penyangak-penyangak matawang untuk menyerang sistem perbankan dan kewangan Malaysia bagi memudahkan dia menjadi Perdana Menteri Malaysia menggantikan Dr. Mahathir, selepas 2005, perangai kebinatangannya semakin menjadi-jadi.
ReplyDeleteInsiden terbaru, tidak lagi dapat dinafikan oleh Anwar Ibrahim apabila pihak perisikan Manila sendiri telah mengesahkan bahawa daripada tiga pihak yang mendalangi pencerobohan lanun-lanun Sulu itu, Anwar Ibrahim dan Pakatan Rakyat memang terlibat secara langsung.
ReplyDeleteAnwar Ibrahim sendiri telah menunjukkan gelagat biasanya apabila dia bersalah dan tidak dapat mengelak iaitu MEMBUAT PENAFIAN AWAL.
ReplyDeleteSemuanya berlaku tidak lama selepas Anwar Ibrahim bertemu dengan Nur Misuari, pemimpin Mindanao yang telah terpinggir kerana sikapnya dan modus operandinya yang lebih menyerupai lanun apabila mencari sumber kewangan dengan cara menculik, melanun dan menjarah. Perjanjian damai antara Mindanao dengan Manila telah mengenepikan Nur Misuari sebaliknya menaikkan Haji Murat, menyebabkan Nur Misuari terdesak untuk kembali menjadi Gabenor Mindanao.
ReplyDeletedia cuba mendapatkan sokongan daripada Anwar Ibrahim yang diketahui mempunyai hubungan dengan Zionis dan Amerika Syarikat.
ReplyDeleteKetua lanun Sulu yang menamakan dirinya sebagai Sultan Kiram turut meminta bantuan daripada Amerika Syarikat agar campurtangan dan memberikan akses kepada mereka menakluki Sabah dan merampas negeri itu daripada Malaysia.
ReplyDeleteKesultanan Sulu pupus pada tahun 1946. Pada tahun 1878, Sultan Sulu telah menjual Sabah yang pada ketika itu dinamakan sebagai North Borneo kepada Kompeni Hindia Timur milik British.
ReplyDeletePada tahun 1963, Britain melepaskan Sabah kepada Malaysia apabila rakyat Sabah membuat referendum untuk menyertai Malaysia bersama-sama Sarawak, Singapura dan Persekutuan Tanah Melayu.
ReplyDeleteSecara tidak langsung, dengan referendum yang telah dibuat oleh rakyat Sabah pada tahun 1962, tiada mana-mana pihak lagi yang berhak ke atas Sabah melainkan Malaysia!
ReplyDelete