The remnants of the Sulu intruders are believed to have gone into hiding in locations within the Ops Daulat area.
This is after 33 of their comrades were killed since the operations started last Tuesday, Armed Forces chief Gen Zulkifeli Mohd Zin said.
"We believe what is left of the enemy is in hiding in certain locations," Zulkifeli a press conference at Felda Residence Sahabat this evening.
Security forces that have been scouring three areas in Lahad Datu - Kampung Tanduo, Tanjung Batu and Tanjung Labian - have not engaged with any enemy in the last 24 hours, he said
However, Zulkifeli said the intruders have yet to show any signal that they were willing to surrender.
'Sosma invoked'
Meanwhile, Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar said the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 was invoked in the arrest of more than 50 people throughout Sabah suspected of being linked to the Sulu incursion.
"They were arrested outside the operations area, throughout Sabah, to facilitate investigations because we believe they are linked to these intruders.
"They were arrested under the the new Sosma law, which is read together with the Penal Code," Ismail said.
Sabah Commissioner of Police Hamza Taib this morning said 79 suspects have been arrested, all of them outside the operations area, since Feb 12, with the exception of three who tried to escape from the Kampung Tanduo cordon on the night of March 2.
Ismail said the individuals included men and women, but he would not confirm if they were Suluks or had Malaysian identity cards.
"I cannot give more information because it will compromise our investigations," he said.
Asked about Manila's request to send a humanitarian team to assess the conflict situation in Lahad Datu, Ismail said Philippines had yet to make a formal request.
"We have not received it through our government's official channels, nor have we been informed by Wisma Putera," he said.
Nigel Aw
Malaysian police say they have arrested more than 50 people in the province of Sabah for suspected links to a deadly invasion by Filipino fighters.
ReplyDeleteAuthorities said they made the arrests on Friday amid clashes between security forces and members of the Sulu Royal Army, a group from the southern Philippines that claims Sabah as their own.
ReplyDeleteAbout 60 people, including 52 fighters and eight Malaysian police officers, have been killed in fighting that erupted a week ago.
ReplyDeleteMalaysia has rejected a call by the fighters' leader for a ceasefire in a farming region where the fighters are being pursued.
ReplyDeleteThe main group of fighters were holed up in a farming village for three weeks until two deadly shootouts with security forces last weekend triggered a military assault that scattered them amid vast oil palm plantations.
ReplyDeleteThere have been reports of other gunmen elsewhere along Sabah's coast that have raised fears of a wider infiltration by fighters and the possibility they may have been aided by sympathisers already in Malaysia.
ReplyDeleteIn the Philippines, the government of President Benigno Aquino has said it has formally asked Malaysia to ensure humanitarian treatment for 10 Filipinos who it says have been captured. Malaysia has not confirmed that account
ReplyDeleteThe United Nations (UN) secretary-general Ban Ki-moon has called for an end to the violence in Sabah.
ReplyDeleteA statement issued by his spokesman posted on the UN's website said Ban encouraged dialogue among all the parties involved for a peaceful resolution and that he was closely monitoring the situation.
ReplyDelete“The secretary-general expresses concern about the impact this situation may have on the civilian population, including migrants in the region.
ReplyDelete“He urges all parties to facilitate delivery of humanitarian assistance and act in full respect of international human rights norms and standards,” the statement said.
ReplyDeleteIn Johor,the Johor Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar hoped that the armed conflict in Sabah would end soon as too much blood had been spilled.
ReplyDelete“I am sure the Prime Minister knows best and is doing all he can to resolve the matter...I hope that our armed forces and security personnel are careful and also patient when carrying out their duties,” he said.
ReplyDelete