Najib rejects sultan's offer of ceasefire in Sabah conflict
Play
Malaysian PM demands weapons be surrendered
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak yesterday 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 yesterday Malaysia’s defence minister also rejected a ceasefire offer by a self-styled Philippine sultan.
“A unilateral ceasefire is not accepted by Malaysia unless the militants surrender unconditionally,” Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said on his Twitter feed.
The “sultan”, Jamalul Kiram III, had declared a unilateral ceasefire for 12:30pm, calling for reciprocation from Malaysia, whose armed forces were on the hunt for the invaders in a remote corner of Borneo island.
Kiram sent his followers from their southern Philippine island homes across the Sulu Sea to assert an ancestral claim to the Malaysian state of Sabah, located on Borneo’s northern tip.
At least 28 people – 20 militants and eight police – have been reported killed since an initial stand-off began more than three weeks ago in the sleepy farming village of Tanduo.
Zahid added: “Don’t believe the ceasefire offer by Jamalul Kiram. In the interest of Sabahans and all Malaysians, wipe out all the militants first.”
The bizarre incursion is Malaysia’s biggest security crisis in years.
Najib’s government tried for three weeks to persuade the invaders to leave but launched a military assault on Tuesday after they continually refused and engaged security forces in a pair of deadly shootouts.
The United Nations has called for an end to violence in Sabah as it appealed for a dialogue among parties to peacefully settle the dispute.
In a statement issued from his office, UN Secretary General Ban Kimoon also called on parties to uphold international human rights standards amid escalating hostilities there.
“The secretary-general is closely following the situation in Sabah, Malaysia. He urges an end to the violence and encourages dialogue among all the parties for a peaceful resolution of the situation,” he said the statement, issued on Wednesday in New York.
“He urges all parties to facilitate delivery of humanitarian assistance and act in full respect of international human rights norms and standards,” the statement read.
Ban also expressed concern for civilians caught in the crossfire, as hostilities escalated between Malaysian forces and armed followers of Kiram this week.
This is the first time the UN issued a statement on the situation in Lahad Datu.
It was silent on the dispute between the Philippines and Malaysia for ownership of Sabah – a matter that the Sulu Sultan said he would elevate to the world body.
The death toll has been rising on both sides.
The Philippines continues efforts to negotiate for the Kiram group’s unconditional surrender as Malaysia stepped up efforts to round up the Sulu fighters, including the launch of air and ground strikes.
