‘Sabah conflict between Kiram followers, Malaysian forces’

MANILA, Philippines - The conflict in Sabah is between the followers of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III and the Malaysian armed forces.

“It’s not a war between Malaysia and the Bangsamoro people in Mindanao. It is not a war between Malaysia and the Philippines either,” Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) acting governor. Mujiv Hataman said.

Hataman, who has been tapped by Malacañang to help settle the standoff, also said the fighting in Semporna is not related to the Lahad Datu standoff, but declined to explain.

“Eventually, the matter will be known. But it is not related to Lahad Datu,” Hataman said. 

Hataman said the bloodshed in Sabah could have been avoided had the sultan’s brother Esmael pushed through with his meeting with Malaysian security authorities, which Malacañang repeatedly tried to facilitate, just before the fighting in Lahad Datu broke out.

“We already had a 12-seater jet that was to fly us to Malaysia, along with Esmael, after government emissaries, through the Western Mindanao Command, managed to link up with him. But plans changed repeatedly until everything fizzled out. But that was not because of us,” Hataman explained. 

Esmael was supposed to have a dialogue with top Malaysian security officials including the chief of the Malaysian Armed Forces, Gen. Mohamad Zin Zulkifle.

Zulkifle was assigned in Mindanao from 2003 to 2004 as head of the pioneering mission of the Malaysian-led International Monitoring Team implementing the ceasefire between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

“It is wrong to say that the government did nothing to prevent the hostilities in Sabah. President Aquino, through emissaries, tried to piece the jigsaw together to resolve the standoff peacefully, but we were overtaken by developments that stifled the plan for dialogues to peacefully prevent any bloodshed,” Hataman said.

Esmael wanted the meeting to be done in Brunei or Singapore but the Malaysian side did not agree to a dialogue with the Kirams outside Malaysia, preferring Kuala Lumpur or Sabah as venue for the talks. 

“Esmael balked from pursuing his supposed dialogue with high Malaysian police and military officials after a talk with his older brother, the sultan,” he said.

But Hataman said the conflict in Sabah could still be resolved through prayers.

“To resolve the conflict, we should go beyond the issue of sovereignty. It is time for us to reflect as Muslims,” Hataman said.  

No order to deploy

The chief of the Bangsamoro armed forces for Northern Mindanao and Eastern Mindanao has reiterated the call of Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) chairman Nur Misuari for a peaceful solution to the Sabah crisis.

MNLF Bangsamoro armed forces chief Samie Tagalog said Misuari has no order for them to deploy to Sabah.

Though the MNLF sympathizes with their Tausug brothers in their current standoff in Sabah, he said Misuari considers the situation there not related to the problem in Mindanao.

During the summit of the MNLF in Davao City last Sunday, Tagalog said Misuari ordered the Bangsamoro armed forces to be on alert.

“It’s time for the people to know that Sabah is part of the sultanate of Sulu,” he said.

Tagalog added the five commands of the MNLF supports the Philippine government in its peace initiatives, particularly in Mindanao. He said the MNLF even helped the government in clearing up Jolo of the bandit group Abu Sayyaf.

Tagalog and his men held a press conference on Wednesday at their camp in Barangay Gusa here to inform the public of their position regarding the Sabah issue.

“The problem can only be solved on the table by peace talks,” he said.