Malaysians troop to areas which will form Bangsamoro

From the Daily Tribune (Jul 21): Malaysians troop to areas which will form Bangsamoro

Malaysians have started to explore potential benefits from the forming of the Bangsamoro substate right after the signing of the Framework Agreement on Bagsamoro (FAB), a local diplomat admitted yesterday.

Malaysia has hosted the peace negotiations between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) as facilitator and maintains military contingents in Mindanao as peace monitors.

Of major interest is the Mindanao Development Authority’s initiative to transform the island into a major producer of palm oil in the next two years through joint ventures with major oil palm industry players, Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia J. Eduardo Malaya said.

After a six-day marathon negotiations, from July 8 to 13 in Kuala Lumpur, the annex on wealth-sharing agreement for the FAB was signed between the government and MILF panels.

The remaining two annexes will be tackled next in Malaysia.

Malaya said the first foreign investor to set foot in Cotabato after the signing of the FAB was a delegation of 19 Malaysian businessmen.

“They saw for themselves not only the area’s huge investment potential but also its safety and security situation. Other Malaysian delegations have since followed suit, notably from the Putrajaya Chamber of Commerce to Manila and the Tan Chong Group that visited Davao both in January, and the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers which went to Manila in May,” Malaya said.

Malaya said that the new political atmosphere in Mindanao is also paving the way
for the final peace agreement.

He said that the emerging vision for Mindanao is to increase the total area devoted to palm oil cultivation to 177,000 hectares, from the current 54,448 hectares in Bangsamoro and the Caraga regions, with more to follow in the immediate future.

“Peace dividends were evident with the several economic missions to Mindanao from other countries, including Malaysia,” Malaya said.

In several US embassy cables published by whistleblower site Wikileaks, it was stated that Malaysia has shown interest in expanding its influence in Mindanao and cashing in on the region by acting as a facilitator in the peace talks.

US Ambassador to Malaysia Ambassador Christopher J. LaFleur in one secret cable dated August 2, 2007 discussed the results of his meeting with then peace talks facilitator Othman Abdul Razak.

The cable, which was classified secret, said Othman complained about America’s development projects in impoverished communities in Mindanao.

“Othman’s expressed unease with our development assistance appears to reflect a degree of Malaysian wariness with increasing US activities and presence in a neighboring Muslim area of Southeast Asia,” the cable said. “It also whiffs of Malaysian interests [in] Mindanao, an area in which Malaysia desires influence and economic gain.”

Another secret cable, stated that the Malaysian facilitator had been showing clear bias in favor of the MILF in the peace talks.

“Othman continues to convey strong pro-Moro sympathies in our meetings and does not hide his view that, at this juncture at least, compromises should come from Manila, not from the MILF,” said the cable, which was also sent by LaFleur.

Aside from insisting that the Philippine government decide on the issue of the MILF’s ancestral domain claim, the Malaysian also wanted the Philippine government to grant a larger territory to the MILF.

“Othman said the MILF would settle for an area that would roughly double the current size of the mainland ARMM, expanding it into contiguous areas in Mindanao,” the memo said.

The Malaysian also kept on blaming the Armed Forces of the Philippines for sporadic outbreaks of violence in Mindanao, accusing the AFP of leading “landgrabbing” in the region by killing people and drive away villagers.

“Othman said he believed many elements in the AFP were opposed to a peace settlement with the MILF because of the benefits they received from a continuation of the conflict, including career advancement and personal enrichment through corruption.  He questioned whether President Arroyo had the ability to enforce discipline within the AFP,” another cable said.

“The peace process has thus far presented the region in a new perspective, including as an investment haven. Following the signing of the Framework Agreement, confidence-building mechanisms were put in place, notably the Sajahatra Bangsamoro, a socio-economic initiative launched last February in Cotabato by President Aquino and MILF Chair Al-Haj Murad Ebrahim to accelerate the delivery of health, education and other basic services to the Bangsamoro areas and to create jobs,” Malaya said.

Malaya said that the area’s largely untapped resources within the context of a robust Philippine economy (7.8 per cent gross domestic product growth for the first quarter of this year) have attracted investors.

The Philippine government’s Mindanao Strategic Development Framework envisions the region to be the country’s main agri-industrial base and tourism hub, through sustainable usage of its rich natural resources and an educated, informed and participative populace, and bolstered by information and communications technology.

Mindanao accounts for 88 per cent of the Philippines’ pineapple production, and 82 per cent of bananas. Agri-based products from the island contributed 25 per cent to the country’s total exports, with earnings reaching US$3.6 billion (RM11 billion) in 2011.
Malaya said that it has great tourism potential, given its wide array of attractions, from culture, land-based adventures to water sports.

The potential for mining are immense, given abundant mineral resources. Mindanao holds the world’s largest nickel reserves, and has gold, copper, chromite, coal, silver and even oil deposits, Malaya said.

He said the senatorial and local government elections last May 13 resulted in a stronger mandate for President Aquino and his Liberal Party and allies.

Malaya said that it also bolstered the new transformational leadership in Muslim Mindanao. Voters there poured their support to Mujiv Hataman who ran for Governor under the President’s party, winning almost 60 per cent of the 232,253 total votes. Nur Misuari, who contested the same position, came in third and got only 13 per cent of the votes.

Malaya said that the momentum towards peace continues. A Transition Commission is now crafting a Bangsamoro Basic Law bill, and this will pave the way for a Transition Authority until the full implementation of the new Bangsamoro political entity in 2016, all within President Aquino’s term of office.

Development funds such as the Mindanao Trust Fund and a fund jointly administered by the United Nations and the World Bank, are now operational.

“If there is a subject which both sides can now give their attention, it is on disarmament, demobilization and reintegration,” Malaya said.

Malaya said that this would also temper the gun culture among people in the region.
Malaya said that there will be challenges even after the peace process comes to a successful conclusion, and the patience and commitment to peace of the parties will be tested.

He said that it is thus high time for concerned parties to “turn swords into ploughshares” and foreswear a recourse to arms.

“This path is what will ensure that future contests will be confined in the political arena and no longer in the fields of battle, and the pursuit of jobs, justice and security for all Mindanaons will continue with vigour. As a senior MILF official recently admitted, “We have had enough of armed conflict in the past ... let us put an end to this,” Malaya said.
http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/headlines/item/16937-malaysians-troop-to-areas-which-will-form-bangsamoro