The Star Online: Nation
The Star Online: Nation |
- Philippines, Muslim rebels agree to expedite talks
- Lahad Datu: PM - Some residents in Sabah's conflict area to be resettled
- Lahad Datu: "Bullets were flying, we were 10m from the enemy"
| Philippines, Muslim rebels agree to expedite talks Posted: 25 Mar 2013 08:40 AM PDT MANILA: After postponing the 37th round of formal exploratory talks on Monday, the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the largest Muslim rebel group in the country, agreed to meet again for the formal peace negotiation in the second week of April, China's Xinhua news agency reported. Instead of holding the formal talks, both parties held a " special meeting" in Malaysia on Monday, they said in a joint statement signed by government peace panel chair Miriam Coronel-Ferrer and her MILF counterpart Mohagher Iqbal. "The special meeting...ended with a firm commitment of the two parties to continue the talks in an expeditious manner," they said. During the special meeting, the government and the MILF discussed the composition of the Third Party Monitoring Team (TPMT) and the Independent Commission on Policing (ICP), the convening of the Transition Commission in the first week of April 2013, and the Terms of Reference of the Task Force Sajahatra Bangsamoro. Should the formal talks push through, they could have discussed the remaining three annexes - the power-sharing, wealth-sharing, and normalization - of the framework agreement on the Bangsamoro, Xinhua reported. Both parties inked last month the annex on transitional arrangements and modalities. The four annexes will form part of the comprehensive peace agreement that will pave the road for the creation of a Bangsamoro entity to replace the existing Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and will end the four decades armed struggle in southern Philippines. - Bernama |
| Lahad Datu: PM - Some residents in Sabah's conflict area to be resettled Posted: 25 Mar 2013 08:11 AM PDT KUALA LUMPUR: The Government will be launching an initiative to resettle people living in several locations in eastern Sabah to maintain public safety, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said on Monday. The move was decided on after realising that the vulnerability of several settlements to the easy entry of illegal immigrants and stateless persons was the primary cause of the Sulu terrorist intrusion in Lahad Datu and other parts of eastern Sabah, he said. He said that the initiative, under Part III of the Preservation of Public Security Regulations 2013, enabled the Government to resettle any individual or a group of people, particularly any individual or a group of people who were illegal immigrants or stateless persons, in a safe and suitable area determined by the Government. "It must be emphasised here that the decision to resettle any individual or a group of people is for the sake of maintaining public security. "In undertaking this resettlement, the Government will take into consideration the safety and well-being of not only the people to be resettled but also the people already living in the designated area of resettlement," he said at the parade in conjunction with the 206th Police Day at the Police Training Centre (Pulapol), here. Najib said discussions would be held with the district, native or village chiefs on all aspects of the resettlement, including the people's source of livelihood. The Prime Minister said that to preserve and protect the people's fundamental rights and uphold the rule of law, the Government would ensure that the resettlement did not prevent any aggrieved citizen in the designated area from challenging the Government's decision or exercising his or her right as a voter in any parliamentary or state election. "Realising that the resettlement would involve Malaysians, either as those to be resettled or those already living in the area of resettlement, the Government will help those citizens whose rights under the Federal Constitution have been undermined by such resettlement," he said. The Prime Minister said the Government would provide a safe place to live and ensure that adequate facilities were available for maintenance of public health, medical services and sanitation, besides opportunities for education and employment. The Government would also cooperate with any domestic or foreign organisation to make available training and equipment, if necessary, to enable the resettled people to start life anew, he said. "The Government realises that the decision on the resettlement has a major impact on the future of those involved. "Migration to a new place involves getting adapted to a new environment," he said. He also said that the initiative would be beneficial to those already living in the area of resettlement because the Government would implement programmes necessary for their well-being. The Prime Minister said the resettlement initiative might be extended to the rest of Sabah when it was felt that the situation was right to do so. "Although the resettlement initiative is now confined to eastern Sabah, it does not mean that western Sabah is being neglected. "The need for safety is now more pressing in the east," he said. He also said that the Government had never doubted the loyalty of Malaysian citizens of Suluk descent. - Bernama Related Stories: |
| Lahad Datu: "Bullets were flying, we were 10m from the enemy" Posted: 25 Mar 2013 08:10 AM PDT KUALA LUMPUR: With a dead colleague beside him, Corporal Mohamad Asrul Osman was determined to stay on as his team came under heavy attack by Sulu gunmen in Lahad Datu on March 1. "My only thoughts then was help from Allah and with that I shouted out "Allahuakbar", with a strong belief that it would shield me from enemy bullets," said Mohamad Asrul, 33, of the Police's VAT 69 commandos. The body beside him was that of Sergeant Sabaruddin Daud, 46. Also killed in the incident was ASP Zulkifli Mamat. "During the attack, I was down on my stomach with Sabaruddin beside me. We were only about 10m from the enemy. "There were hail of bullets. I didn't know that Sabaruddin was hit and only realised it when I wanted to move away from that position and tapped him on the shoulder. There was no response," he told Bernama on Monday during the Police Day celebrations. He said they were under attack for about an hour during which his ear lobe was injured. "I was sad to see my colleague dead, but it did not deter me from continuing to fight for my country," he added. Fifteen enemies were killed in the incident. Mohamad Asrul said flashes of what happened on that day kept crossing his mind. He said it was his first experience being involved in a fight with terrorists. "It taught me to be more courageous and be willing to die for the country," he added. Mohamad Asrul said he joined the commando unit in 2003 and the intrusion in Lahad Datu gave him a better insight on the attack by the communist insurgents, which he had only read in books. "I now know how it feels to be really on a battle field," he said. Related Stories: |
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