Sabah claims: Sultan Sulu offers ‘win-win’ solution

Amidst the ongoing trial against 30 terrorists involved in last February’s Sulu invasion, the Kiram sultanate has offered a “win-win solution” to the Malaysian government.

Reiterating that the sultanate ‘owned’ the North Borneo frontier, new Sulu Sultan Esmail Kiram II said he was however agreeable to granting Malaysia “sovereign” rights over Sabah.

“Malaysia is Muslim, the Sultanate is Muslim, the problem can be discussed between Muslims. If Malaysia wins, the Sultanate wins,” he said.

Speaking to reporters in the Philippines, Kiram said that he had approved a recommendation by his Council “to resolve the Sabah issue in a civilized and peaceful manner”.

He said the recommendation was also sanctioned by the Ulama Council of Mindanao.

Kiram went on to state that Malaysia can no longer shuffle over the issue of the Sulu Sultanate’s claim and that it must openly recognise its ownership of Sabah.

He said in return for this recognition, the sultanate will not withdraw Sabah from the federation of Malaysia.

Meanwhile Manila Times reported that Kiram had directed the sultanate’s legal advisors to prepare the groundwork and conduct an inventory into legal and historical documents to back its claim of “ownership” over Sabah.

He had also urged the Philippines government to support Sultanate’s case when it is filed before the International Court of Justice and other international tribunals, as the issue involved “the interest of Philippines, the sultanate and Malaysia.”

He added that the move was part of the sultanate new year resolution to “repossess Sabah through peaceful means”.

‘Sovereignity and ownership’

The sultanate’s secretary General Abraham Idjirani said the legal panel would be looking into the proprietory aspects of the Sulu-Malaysia conflict.

Idjirani said the two aspects to this were the issues of sovereignity and ownership.

The sultan’s solution, he said, was to leave the sovereignity of Sabah to the Malaysian government.

On Feb 9 last year, more than 200 soldiers of the Royal Sulu Army headed by Rajah Muda Agbimuddin Kiram, younger brother of then reigning Sultan Jamalul Kiram, occupied a portion of Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu.

When they were discovered by Sabah authorities, they were asked to withdraw and return to Tawi-Tawi, Mindanao, but they resisted.

The stand-off eventually erupted into a bloody gun fight that killed 10 Malaysian security and triggered an all-out war against the sultanate’s forces and undocumented immigrants.

Yesterday, the High Court began the trial of 30 individuals arrested and charged over the Lahad Datu invasion.

Due to the nature of the case, the hearing is being held in Sabah prison.

Among those on trial is Datu Amirbahar Hushin Kiram, a nephew of Jamalul Kiram, who recently died of various illnesses in a Manila hospital.

Beside Amirbahar, the other 29 accused are Abdul Hadi Mawan, Pablo Alie, Mohamad Ali Ahmad, Kadir Uyung, Lating Tiong, Holland Kalbi, Habil Suhaili, Lin Mad Salleh, Atik Hussin Abu Bakar, Basad Manuel, Timhar Hadir, Tani Lahad Dani, Aiman Radie, Salib Akmad Emali, Julham Rashid, Al-Wazir Osman @ Abdul, Ismail Yasin, Masir Aidin, Virgilio Nemar Patulada @ Mohammad Alam Patulada, Anwar Salib Akhmad, Binhar Salib Akhmad, Norhaida Ibnahi, Rijmal Salleh, Saidili Jaharul, Dani Ismail, Basil Samiul, Rizman Gulan, Abdul Majin Jubin and Totoh Hismulah.

They are being prosecuted for various charges under the Malaysian Penal Code covering the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012.

These charges cover the waging of war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Malaysian King), harbouring of terrorists, being members of a terrorist group, and recruiting of terrorists. -FMT