Spokesman: Before dying, Kiram ordered sustained fight to repossess Sabah

From GMA News (Oct 20): Spokesman: Before dying, Kiram ordered sustained fight to repossess Sabah

Despite the death of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, his followers will continue efforts to "repossess" Sabah for the Filipino people, the sultanate's spokesman said Sunday.

In a radio interview, Abraham Idjirani said repossessing Sabah for the Philippines was one of the last decrees issued by the sultan before he died early Sunday.

"(His third decree was) not to waive the objective to repossess Sabah for the sake of the Filipino people... Isulong at ituloy ang mission, dapat maibalik ang Sabah sa Pilipinas for the sake of the Filipino people (Kiram decreed that the mission to repossess Sabah should continue)," Idjirani said in an interview on dzBB radio.

The sultan's two other orders were for his brothers to be closer together, and for their families to unite, he added.

Earlier this year, Kiram's followers engaged Malaysian forces in a standoff that ended in bloody encounters starting March 1.

Malaysian forces conducted offensives in Sabah to flush out Kiram's followers. Malaysian authorities have since charged several of Kiram's followers with terrorism and waging war on the King.

The second offense carries the death penalty upon conviction.

Idjirani said the sultan talked to his two brothers, including Agbimuddin Raja Muda Kiram – who led an armed group to Sabah earlier this year – before he died.

For now, he said arrangements are being made for the sultan's remains to be brought to Taguig City. He said the sultan had wished to be buried in Sulu.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/331652/news/nation/spokesman-before-dying-kiram-ordered-sustained-fight-to-repossess-sabah