Malaysian PM rejects ceasefire offer in Sabah
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Kuala Lumpur - Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on Thursday rejected a ceasefire offered by a Philippine sultan after his followers clashed with Malaysian troops over a land claim in the eastern state of Sabah.
"They have to surrender their arms," Najib said on a visit to the conflict zone in Lahad Datu town, 1,600 kilometres east of Kuala Lumpur. "They have to do it as soon as possible." Najib's office said he went to the area to look into the logistics, facilities and welfare of Malaysian security forces.
Earlier the sultan of Sulu declared a unilateral ceasefire after clashes between Malaysian security forces and his followers who are pressing a land claim on the island of Borneo.
The ceasefire was declared to heed the call of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to end the violence and find a peaceful solution to the conflict, a spokesman for Sultan Jamalul Kiram III said in Manila.
"Our troops will be on defensive stance," Abraham Idjiran said. "We will wait for the UN to come up with a comprehensive mechanism on the withdrawal of the troops of the sultanate of Sulu."
