LAHAD DATU: Malaysia has rejected the unilateral ceasefire
call by self-proclaimed Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III.
Sulu militants must lay down arms and surrender
unconditionally and operations against them "will go on as long as it
takes," said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at a press
conference on Thursday.
He also announced the setting up of a special security area
to secure the borders of the east coast of Sabah and reassure the people of
Sabah about their safety.
The area encompassed the districts of Kudat, Tawau, Kunak,
Sandakan and Lahad Datu.
Najib said five battalions of the army and police would be
stationed at the special area.
“Immediate steps will be taken to set up a temporary command
centre in Lahad Datu,'' he said.
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| Police conducting roadblocks and being vigilant. |
He also said that the question of whether Sabah was part of
Malaysia should not arise as that has been determined legally as far back as
1878 and subsequently by the referendum conducted by the Cobbold Commission
ahead of the formation of Malaysia.
“Do not underestimate Malaysia's determination to maintain
Sabah as part of Malaysia,” he said.
Police conducting roadblocks and being vigilant.
Earlier Thursday, Defense Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid
Hamidi has tweeted that the ceasefire would only be accepted if all the
militants surrendered unconditionally.
“Do not trust the ceasefire offer by Jamalul Kiram. In the
interests of the people of Sabah and Malaysia, destroy all the militants,” he
tweeted.
(Jgn percaya dgn tawaran gencatan senjata oleh Jamalul
Kiram. Demi kepentingn rakyat Sabah&seluruh rakyat Msia, hapuskan dulu
semua militan)
The self-proclaimed Sulu sultan had called for an immediate
ceasefire to the standoff in Sabah following calls by United Nations Secretary
General Ban Ki-moon to end violence in Sabah and start holding dialogues.
“The Sultan (Jamalul Kiram III) is calling for a unilateral
ceasefire of the sultanate of Sulu effective this hour, 12.30 in the afternoon
of Thursday,” spokesperson Abraham Idjirani said, according to ABS-CBNnews.com.
A policeman talking to residents on the security situation
in Lahad Datu
He said this is out of respect to the call of the UN
secretary-general to end the violence there. He said this is “in order to
reciprocate the call of the UN to preserve lives.”
The spokesman had also told Reuters that 10 of the Sultan's
followers at Lahad Datu had died during the confrontation with Malaysian
security forces and that another 10 have since been captured.
Four other followers were wounded, according Idjirani.
"They will not come home, and would rather die fighting if cornered,"
he said of the remaining followers in Sabah, according to Reuters.
The UN chief had earlier expressed concern about the impact
of the standoff on the civilian population, including migrants in the region.
Ban is closely monitoring the situation in Sabah and would
like to see all parties engage in talks for the peaceful resolution of the
issue, a UN statement said.
He also urged all parties to "facilitate the delivery
of humanitarian assistance and act in full respect of international human
rights norms and standards."
