Sultanate decides to stay put in Sabah

From the Manila Times (Jun 30): Sultanate decides to stay put in Sabah

ARMED followers of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram 3rd have no plans to give up their fight to regain Sabah despite the Malaysian government’s announcement that it has stopped its military operation against Sulu Royal Forces (SRF).

Abraham Idjirani, spokesman of the Sultanate of Sulu, said Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram, the sultan’s brother who commands the remaining SRF in Sabah, has no plans to withdraw and go back to the Philippines.

Malaysian State Security Council chairman Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman earlier said that “Ops Daulat,” the offensive operation to flush out Kiram’s followers in Sabah, has officially ended on Saturday. Idjirani, however, dismissed Datuk Musa’s statement as mere propaganda to counter the confirmed clashes between Raja Muda’s men and Malaysian security units on June 16 and 18 in Labbiyaw and Dangan Tungko in Sabah.

The spokesman added that the sultanate’s volunteer forces in Sabah confirmed that Malaysian forces suffered “numerous casualties” during the shootout.

“Their forces are in low morale because we killed many of them. So what they do is announce the end of the military operation to create an impression that they have restored order in Sabah,” Idjirani said. He maintained that the SRF and its volunteer forces would remain in their defensive positions despite the cessation of the military operation.

The spokesman also assured Agbimuddin and his forces would not dare start hostilities with the Malaysian forces because they are still observing the unilateral ceasefire declared by Kiram.

According to Malaysia’s Star Online, Musa said the National Security Council gives the Eastern Sabah Security Command full responsibility of securing Sabah.

http://www.manilatimes.net/sultanate-decides-to-stay-put-in-sabah/14452/