23 March 2013

RM100,000 Each For Kins Of 2 Slain Soldiers

Cpl Ahmad Farhan Ruslan

Cpl Ahmad Hurairah Ismail

KOTA BAHARU: The families of two security forces from Kelantan who were killed in the Ops Daulat offensive in Lahad Datu, Sabah received RM100,000 each from the Sabah state government, yesterday.

Sabah State Secretary Tan Sri Sukarti Wakiman represented the Sabah Government in presenting the contribution to Cpl Ahmad Hurairah Ismail’s mother Rahmah Mamat, 50, and Cpl Ahmad Farhan Ruslan’s mother Roslawati Ghani, 44, at a brief ceremony held at Wisma Perwira Markas Lapan Briged here.

Also present were National Security Council (NSC) secretary Datuk Mohamed Thajudeen Abdul Wahab, NSC Kelantan secretary Roslee Mamat, Sabah State Affairs and Research secretary Rodzi Md Saad and 8th Brigade chief of Staff Lt Col Mohd Zaki Abu.

Meanwhile, in Lahad Datu police advised the public to dismiss rumours that a housewife was held hostage by four terrorists for more than two hours at her house in Kembara Sakti, Felda Sahabat 43, here, yesterday.

Sabah Deputy Police Commissioner Datuk Tan Kok Liang said there was no indication to show that the incident, purportedly at 2pm, did happen as claimed by the woman.

“The police are nevertheless investigating,” he said in a press conference at the Felda Sahabat 16 operations base, near here.

In the alleged incident the woman reportedly claimed she was alone when the four terrorists came and tied her up, but she managed to free herself while they were busy looking for food.

Tan also dismissed claims that some shots were fired during the incident, causing panic and fear among the residents who ran to the nearby mosque for protection.

“But we have stationed some security forces at the village to assure the safety of residents and make them feel at ease while carrying out their daily routine,” he said. - BERNAMA

Felda Settler Recounts Terrifying Moments When Intruders Attack


LAHAD DATU: A Felda settler had to trek the jungle in the middle of the night with his wife and two children after terrorists intruded Tanjung Labian on March 1.

Mohd Asri Aliudin became lost for over two hours in the oil palm plantation before arriving at the house of a friend in Kampung Lok Buani, 3 km away.

He had barely rested when he had to return to the oil palm plantation after hearing gunshots at about midnight.

Recounting his scariest moment, Mohd Asri, 33, said at that time he only thought of rescuing his wife and two girls aged two and four years. “We covered their mouth fearing that their screams would be heard by the terrorists,” he said.

He said terrorists attacked his village at about 10am by firing into the air, sending the villagers running and shouting “run, run, the Sulus have arrived.”

“We were terrified by the sound of explosion and gunfire. I saw several men dressed in black walking and firing in the air. I also saw a cloud of smoke.”

Mohd Asri said he lost oil palm fruits worth RM2,400, four cows and six goats to the terrorists from southern Philippines.

Mohd Asri said there was panic but he managed to bring along personal documents before fleeing with his family.

After four hours, he arrived at the friend’s house in Kampung Lok Buani and only reached his in-laws house in Felda Sahabat, 7 km away at 5am.

After 21 days, Mohd Asri is still staying at his in-laws house pondering the uncertain future as he had lost his source of livelihood.

He lost oil palm fruits worth RM2,400, four cows and six goats to the terrorists from southern Philippines. - BERNAMA

14 March 2013

Philippines Detains ‘Militants’ Trying To Flee Sabah


MANILA: The Philippines Navy said it had detained 35 suspected Filipino militants yesterday as they sought to sail home from a military offensive against them in Sabah.

They are believed to be remnants of a band of up to 300 followers of a self-proclaimed Filipino sultan who entered Sabah a month ago to stake a territorial claim on the area, regional military chief Rey Ardo said.

“They were coming back (home) … they are armed,” Lieutenant-General Ardo said on ABS-CBN television, confirming less detailed reports of their arrest by the Philippines Navy.

The self-proclaimed Sultan of Sulu vowed his men would not leave until Malaysia recognised their territorial claims.

However, after a stand-off that lasted more than two weeks, Malaysian security forces launched a major operation against the gunmen.

The 35 people detained yesterday were on two small boats that were intercepted by two navy patrol vessels on the Philippines side of the sea border with Malaysia, navy spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Gregory Fabic told AFP.

They were sailing to a Philippine island about 60 kilometres from the area of Sabah at the heart of the security offensive, according to Ardo, the regional military commander.

Fabic and Ardo said there were 34 men and one woman aboard the boats, both of which carried guns.

Ardo said one of the men was wounded, possibly from the Sabah clashes. - AFP

Ringleader Still In Lahad Datu

A Malaysian soldier on the lookout for Sulu gunmen

LAHAD DATU: Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib believes Agbimuddin Kiram, who led a group of armed Sulu gunmen into Lahad Datu on Feb 12, is still alive and hiding in Kampung Tanjung Batu, some 130km from Lahad Datu town.

“The Malaysian security forces believe he (Agbimuddin) is still here and with his group because as a leader he must not run.

“He will not run and leave his people by themselves here. He must lead them,” said Hamza during a media briefing together with Army First Infantry Division chief Maj-Gen Datuk Ahmad Zaki Mokhtar at the Felda Sahabat 16 yesterday.

Hamza said his belief that Agbimuddin never left the area was also based on the tight security at the red zone of the ‘Ops Daulat’ area, including sea route.

Agbimuddin is high on the Malaysian security forces’ wanted list after the deadly intrusion into Lahad Datu via Kampung Tanduo, some 150km from here.

After the first shootout on March 1, the number of deaths on the enemy’s side stands at 56, and 25 of the terrorists’ remains had been taken out of the red zone.

The number of Malaysia’s security forces killed stands at 10 eight police personnel and two soldiers. One of the soldiers, Cpl Ahmad Farhan Ruslan, had died due to a road accident at Km37 Lahad Datu-Kampung Tungku Road.

Hamza said vehicle escort Ahmad Farhan was killed when a three-ton military vehicle in the convoy from Kota Kinabalu to Lahad Datu for ‘Ops Daulat’ skidded at 7.30am on Tuesday.

“We (police) will investigate this accident under Section 41 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.

“Nine members of Malaysia’s security forces are on the injured list.

“The security in Lahad Datu and Semporna is beginning to return to normal. Daily activities have resumed and schools have reopened, except those located within the operation zone (Sekolah Kebangsaan Tanjung Labian, SK Lok Buani and SK Fajar Harapan).

“As announced by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday (Tuesday), the students will be moved to another school so that their education is not affected, especially those sitting for the Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) examination this year,” he said.

Hamza said no clashes were reported since Tuesday night up to 10am yesterday and that operations had been extended to Sungai Nyamuk near Tanjung Batu.

On Kampung Tanduo residents, Hamza said no green light had been given yet for them to return to their respective homes. He said although earlier reports had stated that the village was cleaned several factors needed to be studied, including whether they are squatters or illegal immigrants.

“There are only 10 houses there. Many aspects had to be considered, including the status of their citizenship. “The creation of the Sabah Special Security Area (ESSCOM) also requires that we carry out a more comprehensive study to resolve the matter.

“If they have no rights on the land, we may not allow them to return,” he said.

Asked for updates on the 12-year-old boy who was killed by Malaysian security forces recently, Hamza said police had yet to determine his identity.

“When you talk about identification, what do you mean by identification? Do they have document with them? They did not have any documents with them, so how can we identify them. We cannot, and we cannot simply say they are from this group or that group.

“As far as we are concerned, they are among the terrorists because they came from the target area.

“To prove a person’s identity, like being Malaysian, you need an identity card to show that you are Malaysian. You need a birth certificate. If you do not have any documentation, how can you say they are foreigners or they are Malaysians?” asked Hamza. - BORNEO POST