Sulu sultanate’s army given 48 hours to leave Sabah

MANILA, Philippines - Malaysia has given the followers of the Sulu sultanate 48 hours to leave Sabah, shorter than the four-day extension sought by the Philippines, a Malaysian news site said yesterday.

The Star online said the Friday deadline was extended after the Philippines asked for a four-day extension until Tuesday “on the grounds that Manila was trying to persuade the Sulu group to give up their stand.”

The Malaysian media firm said there have been reports that the group of Raja Muda Azzumudie, the brother of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, “was running short of food supplies.”

Malaysian security forces are maintaining a tight sea and land cordon around the group, the report added.

“Azzumudie was reportedly in contact with Sultan Kiram who has told the group to stay put at the village until the Sabah claim demands were discussed but to avoid violence,” The Star online said.

Sabah is now being administered by Malaysia even as the Philippines has a standing claim to the area.

Malacañang earlier said it wants the standoff in Sabah ended peacefully as soon as possible.

Speaking over state-run radio station dzRB, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the government is working quietly with all stakeholders to achieve a long-term solution to the problem.

“From the point of view of this administration, we’ve always said that we’ve been working quietly with the Malaysian government and the Kiram family to resolve this standoff peacefully,” she said.

Valte said a Malacañang legal team will be coming up with a definitive position on the issue to uphold the national interest and avoid jeopardizing good relations with Malaysia.

“It will have to be dealt with separately at the proper time and under the correct conditions,” she said of the Philippines claim to Sabah.

Speaking to reporters in Iloilo City last week, Aquino said he has been talking to stakeholders in the Sabah standoff, including the family of the Sultan of Sulu.

“But of course that doesn’t rest entirely within our hands, there has to be cooperation amongst all entities to achieve first, a resolution on the current crisis and later on probably a long-term solution to this dispute,” he said.

Aquino said he has ordered the Malacañang legal team to study the Malaysian and Philippine claims to Sabah. – With Delon Porcalla