News from Sabah: Foreign journalists & sympathizers detained for 7 hours; shops closed early; schoolchildren stay home
Sabah standoff: In the interest of covering all sides, here are reports from journalists based in Sabah:
Daily Express (“Independent National Newspaper of East Malaysia”)” estalished since 1963”
“Three Al-Jazeera journalists and SAPP members held and queried
“Published on: Thursday, February 21, 2013
“THREE Al-Jazeera journalists and three Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) youths were detained off waters at Tanjung Labian, near here, adjacent to the area where more than 100 armed Filipinos are holed up in a stand-off with Malaysian security forces.
“The six and a boatman were detained by the General Operation Force (PGA) at about 8am when the boat they were travelling in was approaching Kg Tanduo, the place the Filipino armed group gathered.
“SAPP Tungku Central Liaison Committee (CLC) Chairman Suaib Mutalib said the three were accompanying the foreign journalists who wanted to cover the stand-off.
“ ‘SAPP Tungku Youth Chief Mohd Ahsraf Amir, another two SAPP youths, three Al-Jazeera newsmen and the boat man were detained.
“ ‘They were taken to the Chenderawasih Police Station at Tungku and only released seven and half hours later at about 3.30pm after police took their statements,’ Suaib said.
“Suaib who is also SAPP Assistant Secretary General noticed that the situation around Lahad Datu at the moment was different with many parents reluctant to send their children to school while most shops closed early.
“It seemed that the stand-off between Malaysian security forces and the Filipino armed group had scared the people, according to him.
“Meanwhile, SAPP Information Chief Chong Pit Fah said the Government should allow foreign journalists and international news agencies to enter the area and cover the incident.
“He said international and neutral coverage would enable the people to get the true picture of what was really happening.
“ ‘All this while we are fed BN government controlled media reports which might not be fully accurate,” he said.
“He added that journalists, either locals or internationals, should be allowed to enter certain areas near where the stand-off is taking place.
Xxx
From the same online news organization:
“Sandakan: It is not necessary for the Government to consider any of the demands made by the armed Filipino intruders in Lahad Datu.
“Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk V K Liew, said such demands by the group claiming to be the Sulu Sultanate royal army do not arise at all.
“He said legally the matter could be looked at from the historical facts.
“ ‘Based on historical fact, the Sulu Sultanate dynasty ceased to exist from the early 1930s when the Philippines became a republic,” he said.
“ ‘In this respect, the question of demand does not arise at all as the dynasty was clearly disbanded quite a long time ago,” he said when met after presenting the BR1M 2.0 for his Sandakan constituency at the Community Centre here Wednesday.
“Liew said it was only apt that the Government refuse to entertain the group’s request and, in fact, should be strongly rejected because in terms of law such demand has no standing.
“Furthermore, there is no way to verify the real background of the people making the demand, he said.
“ ‘Let the Government resolve the matter peacefully without any unwanted incident,” he said, adding that at the same time the people must have confidence in the country’s security forces to do their best.
“Meanwhile, Liew who is also Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) President, said the handing out of the second BR1M by the Barisan Nasional (BN) government was a clear indication that the country’s economy is growing rapidly.
“He said it was also another clear proof of the Government fulfilling its promise, a policy under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
“The BR1M 2.0, this time would benefit about 4.3 million households and 2.7 million single and young individuals in the country costing the government about RM3 billion.
“He denied that the move was a stunt by the Government to gain support from the people. “It is also a manifestation of the BN government as a responsible government that is capable of managing the nation’s finance properly,” he said.
“Liew presented the BR1M 2.0 payment voucher to 2,267 recipients from the Tanjung Papat State constituency and later in the afternoon to 5,493 recipients from the Elopura State constituency.
“The total number of recipients in the Sandakan Parliamentary constituency was 7,760.
xxx
From The Borneo Post at theborneopost.com
“Commanding officer assures people in Lahad Datu security under control
“Posted on February 22, 2013, Friday
“Lahad Datu: The people in the east coast of Sabah should not feel worried and fearful of the intrusion of an armed group of people from Sulu as the situation is under control by the security forces.
“Commanding officer of the 516th regiment of the Territorial Army for east coast of Sabah, Brigadier General Tan Sri Liew Yun Fah, gave the assurance after visiting Lahad Datu on Feb 19.
“Liew said he is happy to see Lahad Datu residents viewing this incident rationally and having confidence with the government and the security forces in handling the situation.
“He said the people should always understand the role of the government, the police force and the military in ensuring the safety of the people and security of the country. Everyone should therefore keep their trust in the government and the security forces and not listen to rumours passed around by irresponsible parties through the various forms of communication channels. Liew visited the operation room here to update himself of the current situation there and the status of the negotiations with the intruders.
“Thereafter, he visited the campsite of the security forces and presented 1,000 boxes of mineral water and three water tanks to them for their daily needs.
“In the afternoon, he met with Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein at Tawau airport. It was learnt that Hishammuddin had just returned from his visit to Felda Sahabat, Lahad Datu.
“Liew hoped the impasse could be resolved as soon as possible without any shed of blood.
xxx
From the same online news organization
“Irresponsible parties spreading rumours to create anxiety – Jainab
“Posted on February 20, 2013, Wednesday
“Kota Kinabalu: Certain irresponsible parties are taking advantage of the Lahad Datu intrusion to spread rumours to create public anxiety, said Assistant Resource Development and Information Technology Minister Datuk Jainab Ahmad.
“The Karambunai assemblywoman said various unfounded speculations were being spread by certain groups to frighten the people.
“She said it appeared that these parties wanted to undermine the government’s effort to contain the situation from escalating into something worse.
“ ‘The authorities have wisely kept the situation calm and avoided unnecessary fights but it is regrettable that there are some groups trying to scare the public and appeared to be trying to incite war.
“ ‘We are trying our level best to avoid creating disunity and disorder. We don’t want chaos and wars like in Gaza,” she said to reporters after presenting 1Malaysia People Assistance (BR1M) in Menggatal yesterday.
“Jainab, who is also State Wanita Umno secretary, urged the public to remain calm and use their better judgement not to be influenced by these groups.
“Earlier, she presented BR1M 2.0 to some 600 recipients from the Karambunai constituency.
“According to her, more than 10,000 eligible recipients have benefited from the assistance to date.
“ ‘This is the second day in the distribution of BR1M in Karambunai where we opened counters with Maybank so that the public can cash their BR1M vouchers,” she said, adding that the distribution of the assistance this time was more systematic and convenient for the public.
xxx
From the same online news organization:
“Kota Kinabalu: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman said the security forces were in full control of the situation in Lahad Datu.
“ ‘As chairman of the State Security Committee, I am confident that the relevant authorities are on top of the situation,” he said.
“The Chief Minister said this was the result of coordinated efforts among the police, the military and the marine coast guard, who have shown a high degree of professionalism and discipline.
“ ‘In the last few days, we have seen how the authorities, especially the police, have exercised great restraint in dealing with the foreign intruders in Kampung Tanduo,” he said.
“He added the restraint was not a sign of weakness but rather a deeper understanding of the complexity of the issue.
“Musa, however, urged the foreign intruders to return to their homeland to avoid any untoward incident, including bloodshed, in the event that the Malaysian security forces have to take action.
“ ‘They must realise that they have clearly breached international laws and Malaysia’s sovereignty. What is at stake here is our sovereignty and rights, which will not be compromised,” he said.
“ ‘Once again, I appeal to the intruders to be rational and give up the futile attempt and return to their homeland peacefully,’ he said.”
News peg: “Saying there was no turning back, Sultan Jamalul Kiram III has declared that his followers who crossed into the town of Lahad Datu xxx Sabah this month were staying put to reclaim their ancestral homeland.”
xxx
“The armed group styling itself as the “Royal Security Forces of the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo” is holed up in the seaside village of Tanduao in Lahad Datu town, where they landed in speedboats on Feb. 12 after crossing the sea from Simunul Island in the Philippine province of Tawi-Tawi.
xxx
“Lahad Datu, Malaysia – A peace deal between the Philippines and Moro rebels has alienated traditional rulers and their followers about 100 of whom have occupied a village in nearby Malaysia, a member of the old ruling family said on Monday. xxx
“Jamalul Kiram III, 74, a former sultan of Sulu in Mindanao and brother of the man Philippine provincial authorities regard as sultan, said the peace deal had handed control of much of Sulu to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels, ignoring the sultanate.
“He said the group of sultan loyalists had gone to Malaysia as a protest action in response to what they saw as the unfair peace deal, and they would not back down. xxx
“ ‘Those people are willing to die for our cause,’ Jamalul told Reuters in the Philippines.
“The group of 100 armed men has refused to move from the village they have occupied for nearly a week, despite pleas from both the Malaysian and Philippine governments to return to the Sulu archipelago on the Philippine side of the sea border.”
xxx
I hate to say this but: Whether you like it or not, in the more immediate, where lives are at stake, Malacaňang has to talk to the Sultanate of Sulu (and not just with Malaysia) albeit discreetly, maybe unofficially, maybe through the backdoor, maybe through emissaries; but talk you have to do. (Take the high road to defuse the situation: Hindi pwedeng “ah hinde… Hindi namin sila kakausapin”).
In the meantime, just for everybody’s information: The Philippines has never abandoned its territorial claim over Sabah as shown by the pronouncement of Malacaňang yesterday of a “dormant claim” , and as shown by pleadings filed by the Philippines in international courts, such as: The application to intervene filed by the Philippines in the International Court of Justice in the dispute between Indonesia and Malaysia over Ligitan and Sipadan islands – while that application was denied for lack of interest, it nevertheless documents the continuing territorial claim of the Philippines over Sabah. (Wikipedia, which apparently is being used by some broadcast reporters and news anchors judging from their unfounded generalizations over the Philippine Sabah claim, is not accurate when it says that the ICJ in 2003 ruled against our claim over Sabah in that dispute between Indonesia and Malaysia – stop relying on Wikipedia.)
The ICJ documented the Philippine claim over Sabah as follows (pages 1123-1130, International Court of Justice, Digest of Judgments and Advisory Opinions, Canon and Case Law, 1946-2012) :
“(38) In relation to the existence of an “interest of a legal nature” justifying the intervention, the Philippines contends that: “Under Article 2 of the Special Agreement between Indonesia and Malaysia, the Court has been requested to determine the issue of sovereignty over Pulau Ligitan and Pulau Sipadan ‘on the basis of treaties, agreements, and other evidence’ to be furnished by the Parties. The interest of the Philippines is solely and exclusively addressed to the treaties, agreements, and other evidence furnished by the Parties and appreciated by the Court which have a direct or indirect bearing on the matter of the legal status of North Borneo. The legal status of North Borneo is a matter that the Government of the Philippines considers as its legitimate concern.” The Philippines adds that: “(a) decision of the Court, or that incidental part of the decision of the Court, which lays down an appreciation of the treaties, agreements, and other evidence bearing on the legal status of North Borneo will inevitably and most assuredly affect the outstanding territorial claim of the Philippines over North Borneo, as well as the direct and legal right and interest of the Philippines to settle that claim by peaceful means. “ In outlining its claim, the Philippines has referred inter alia to Section 3 of Republic Act 5446 (which makes an implicit allusion to a claim to title to North Borneo) and to the Manila Accord of 31 July 1963, between Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, in which specific reference is made to the claim of the Philippines to North Borneo and “cognizance of the position regarding the Philippine claim to Sabah (North Borneo)” is taken by the Heads of government of these three States.
XXX
“ The Philippines has informed the Court that it has a claim of sovereignty in North Borneo.
“The Court recalls that on 5 April 2001, the Philippines sought, in a Diplomatic Note to Indonesia, “to reassure the Government of Indonesia that it does not have territorial interest in the Sipadan and Ligitan islands.” This position was confirmed by the Philippines before this Court. However, the Philippines has informed this Court that its claim of sovereignty in North Borneo might be affected by the reasoning of the Court.
XXX
“The Court finds that the Philippines has not discharged its obligation to convince the Court that that specified legal interests may be affected in the particular circumstances of this case.
“The Court finds that the application of the Philippines for permission to intervene under Article 62 of the Statute of the Court, cannot be granted. “
XXX
So i hope those “broadcast hosts” would not generalize that the ICJ ruled against the Philippine claim over Sabah in 2003 — that claim remains outstanding and unresolved.
Now however… someone’s mettle at negotiations would have to be tested with the need to de-escalate the situation in Lahad Datu, Sabah.
