'MILF chair strong, healthy'

MANILA, Philippines - The leadership of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) belied yesterday reports that the health of their chairman, Al Haj Murad is now in jeopardy following a heart attack while in Malaysia.

Without saying where Murad is, Muhammad Ameen, chief secretariat of the MILF’s central committee, said in a statement posted at Lurwaran, official website of the group, that their chairman is strong and healthy.

Ameen said Murad, in fact, just performed the hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca, Saudi Arabia after a trip to Geneva, Switzerland last September where he attended a five-day conference with MILF’s chief peace negotiator Mohagher Iqbal.

“He is well, strong, and healthy,” Ameen said, as he also dismissed reports about the brewing rift among the top leaders of the MILF triggered by Murad’s state of health.

He said Murad, MILF vice chairman for political affairs Ghazali Jaafar, and Iqbal have been in the struggle and in harm’s way for almost four decades, since 1972.

“The MILF leadership is solid and can stand the test of time and the temptations of evil whisperers,” he said.

There have been reports that Murad is now half paralyzed after his supposed heart attack and is now recuperating at a hospital in Sandakan in Sabah.

Due to Murad’s reported impairment, two factions are allegedly eyeing to replace him as chairman of the organization.

The militant faction is reportedly led by Iqbal while the other bloc is led by Jaafar.