Sources : thestar.com.my
Published: Tuesday March 5, 2013 MYT 7:45:00 AM
Updated: Tuesday March 5, 2013 MYT 11:06:30 AM
Malaysian security forces in all out attack against Sulu gunmen
Malaysian military forces moving in against the Sulu gunmen at Kampung Tanduo in Lahad Datu on Tuesday. - Bernama 10.58am Media told it is a press briefing.IGP will not be fielding any questions.
10.50am: IGP arrives at Felda Residence hotel. Media prepares for press conference.
10.50am: Sabah's northern Kudat district is still safe from intruders and situation is under control. However, police are taking precautionary measures to ensure the safety of its officers and people there.
10.45am: In Kota Kinabalu Business is going on as usual although some supermarkets have run out of rice supply. City police remind people not to listen to rumours as 'they are all lies' and the situation here for the past few days had been under control with not a single incident related to the Lahad Datu case happening.
10.45am: Some 20 plantation workers are seen waiting at the road side at Felda Sahabat.They have been there after hearing explosions since 7am
10.40am:It was business as usual in Sandakan and police have told public not to listen to rumours and verify with police by calling 089 212 222
10.34am IGP and Sabah chief police have rescheduled their press conference from 9.30am to 11am now at Felda Sahabat residence where the media is waiting for word on what is happening on the ground in Tanduo.
10.20am Police forensic unit seen heading towards Felda Sahabat from Lahad Datu.
10.00am: In Tunku, the hospital is closed and a villager said a road block has been put up stopping people from entering town
9.50am: Many ambulances despatched from Tawau. Media personnel barred from entering Felda 16 area near Cenderawasih township.
9.45am: In Tanjung Labian community hall, about 300 villagers are asking for food as they have not received any since Monday night. They had fled Tanjung Batu after hearing reports of armed intruders.
8.30am: Military trucks were seen going in. Elite military and police squads were also on the ground and believed to be involved in the shootouts with the gunmen.
7.30am: At least six continuous explosions were heard and journalists at Sahabat 16 resort said the jets looped back flying low.
LAHAD DATU: Dawn attacks to flush out the remaining group of armed Sulu gunmen said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak Tuesday, in a short statement.
Early Tuesday morning, fighter jets began screaming low over the armed group cornered at the Tanduo village since Feb 9.
Continuous explosions are being heard as the police and army move in against the gunmen who are reportedly firing back.
The situation around Tanjung Labian, about 7km away from Tanduo village in Felda Village 17 was tense as more than 300 villagers huddled in a community hall kept hearing the explosions.
7.00am: Several fighter jets screamed over Tanduo village, followed by artillery fire
Published: Monday March 4, 2013 MYT 5:11:00 PM
Updated: Monday March 4, 2013 MYT 6:58:39 PM
Remains of two policemen killed in Semporna arrive in KL for burial
By FARIK ZOLKEPLI
The aircraft carrying the coffins of the officers touched down at about 6.35pm. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak led other police personnel in paying their last respects to the fallen heroes.
The six officers were killed during an ambush by Sulu gunmen on Saturday night.
Supt Ibrahim, a Bukit Aman Special Branch senior officer, from Besut, Terengganu, would be buried at the Muslim cemetery in USJ 20, Subang Jaya, Selangor after the Isyak prayers.
He is survived by his wife Rosiah Dahlan, 52, and three children aged 17 to 22.
L/Kpl Mohd Azrul, is the sixth among seven siblings. The The Klang-born GOF personnel will be taken to his parents' home in Jalan Teluk Kapas, Kampung Rantau Panjang Klang for burial at the Muslim cemetery in Kampung Panjang, Klang.
Semporna district police officer Asst Supt Michael Padel, 36, a Bidayuh from Serian, Sarawak is survived by his wife Jabah a/p Mingku. They have a year-old son.
ASP Michael's funeral will be held in his hometown in Kampung Bidayuh, Tebakang.
Meanwhile, the funeral for 49-year-old Sjn Baharin Hamit, 49, is expected to be held at Jalan Tuaran, Kota Kinabalu.
The police personnel from Alor Gajah, Malacca, leaves behind wife Sumati Suarah, 50 and two children aged 16 and 11.
Sjn Aziz Sarikon, 52, General Operations Force (GOF) personnel in Semporna, is survived by his wife Siti Banddorah Mahalil, 39 and four children aged seven to 18. He would be laid to rest in Samporna.
Kpl/S Salam Togiran, 42, from Sandakan, Sabah, was attached to the Tawau district police. He leaves behind wife Marlinah Utan and four children aged one-year to 16.
He would be buried at the Batu 15 Muslim Cemetery in Tawau.
Assistant Head of IGP secretariat (Public Relations) Asst Comm Ramli Mohd Yusoff said the six policemen were heroes in defending the country.
“They will always be cherished and remembered by all Malaysians.
“Our deepest condolences to the families of our fallen heroes,” he said.
Sunday March 3, 2013
General Operations Force driver: It was my toughest assignment
LAHAD DATU: As a driver for the police General Operations Force (GOF) Kpl Awang Suradi Awang Wang was used to transporting anything from supplies to corpses.
But the toughest assignment yet for this 15-year GOF veteran was when he had to ferry the bodies of two GOF VAT69 commandos Insp Zulkifli Mamat and Kpl Sabaruddin Daud who were killed in a skirmish with the armed Sulu group at Kampung Tanduo on Friday.
Three other VAT 69 commandos were injured in the clash that began when the Sulu gunmen fired at Insp Zulkifli's team that was part of the tight security cordon around the seaside village some 160km from this east coast town.
“My heart sank when I heard there were casualties and then the order came to me to drive the bodies out,” said Kpl Awang Suradi when met at the GOF's sub tactical headquarters about 3km from Kampung Tanduo yesterday.
He drove a Land Rover to a pick-up point 1km away and upon seeing Zulkifli and Sabarudin's bodies, he quietly recited the Al-Fatihah and together with several GOF personnel, loaded the bodies onto the four-wheel drive vehicle.
The destination was the Tunku district hospital.
During the 45-minute drive, Kpl Awang Suradi felt a burning anger towards the Sulu gunmen.
“They were attacked unprovoked. I just felt I wanted to avenge their deaths,” said the father of five, adding that he also felt pain for the families of the slain men.
Published: Saturday March 2, 2013 MYT 6:54:00 PM
Updated: Sunday March 3, 2013 MYT 10:25:10 AM
PM: Gunmen used white flag to lure commandos and opened fire
PETALING JAYA: The armed intruders in Sabah had used a white flag as a ruse to open fire on Malaysian police commandos on Friday in Kampung Tanduo, 130km from Lahad Datu, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Saturday.
He said he learned this from one of the VAT 69 police commandos, and described it a cowardly act.
"The two slain commandos had seen the white flag and did not think that there would be other intruders waiting to open fire on them.
"I do not rule out the possibility that it was a trap by the intruders. If they had resorted to such a tactic, it was a act of cowards," he told reporters after paying his last respects to the two slain commandos - Insp Zulkifli Mamat, 29, and Cpl Sabarudin Daud, 46 - at the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) base in Subang near here.
The Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tuanku Hajah Haminah, was also at the base and spent some time with the families of Zulkifli and Sabarudin and handed over a personal donation to them.
The white flag is an internationally recognised protective sign of truce or ceasefire, and request for negotiation.
The Charlie 130 aircraft carrying the bodies of the two slain commandos flew in from Tawau at 12.30 pm.
Also present at the base were the prime minister's wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor; Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar; Chief Secretary to the Government Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Hamsa and several Cabinet ministers.
The bodies were taken by the respective families for burial in their villages.
Zulkifli's body was flown in an RMAF CN235 aircraft from Subang to the RMAF base in Gong Kedak, Kelantan, for burial in Kampung Kubang Ikan, Besut, Terengganu.
Zulkifli's widow, Noraziah Noor, and their two sons, aged four and one, accompanied the remains.
Sabarudin's body was taken to his village in Sungai Lias, Sungai Besar, Sabak Bernam, Selangor. His widow, Nurunisa Abu Bakar, and their three children, two sons and a daughter, accompanied the remains.
In LAHAD DATU, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar dismissed a foreign media report that 10 of the intruders surrendered to the security forces Friday.
The intruders had attempted to get out of Kampung Tanduo but stumbled upon the security forces and opened fire, triggering the shootout, he told reporters when he visited General Operations Force personnel at their base at Felda Sahabat 16.
ABS-CBN news online had on Friday quoted Philippine Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez as saying that he was informed by the Malaysian Ambassador in the Philippines Mohammad Zamri Mohammad Kassim that 10 intruders of the group had surrendered.
Ismail praised the Malaysian police for their determination to continue to strive to resolve the intrusion by about 150 members of the self-proclaimed royal army of the Sultanate of Sulu in the Philippines. - Bernama
Published: Saturday March 2, 2013 MYT 5:40:00 PM
Lahad Datu: Chronology of events
KUALA LUMPUR: The following is the chronology of events pertaining to the intrusion into Lahad Datu, Sabah by an armed group from southern Philippines:
Feb 9 - The group enters Malaysian waters in a boat and begins to gather in stages at Felda Sahabat 17, Kampung Tanduo in Lahad Datu. Feb 11 - A gang from the group is discovered by a group of local fishermen at night. The fishermen lodge a police report that 100 armed men in army fatigues are putting up in Kampung Tandou.
Feb 12 - The group breaks into smaller groups to enter several locations in the village, namely Sungai Bakau village, village surau and the house of one Ahmad Malandi, also known as Mad Bon.
Feb 14 - Prime Minister Najib Razak says the Malaysian government will try its best, including negotiations, to handle the issue of intrusion before ousting them from the area. Inspector-general of police Ismail Omar says the police identify the group of Filipinos who landed on the shore of Lahad Datu as being linked to the 'Sulu Sultanate' from southern Philippines.
He says the group claims to be the 'Royal Army of the Sulu Sultanate' and they do not want their people of Sulu descent to be sent back to their country of origin.
Ismail says, negotiations with the armed group is still in progress to find the best solution, without bloodshed.
A report quotes a Philippine army personnel, who is a loyal follower of Sulu raja muda, Azzimudie Kiram, as saying the group has come at the invitation of a "Malaysian opposition" to discuss land issues in Sabah.
Feb 16 - Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein (centre in photo) confirms the group is not a militant or terrorist group but is in fact, strong supporter of the Sulu Sultanate and stresses the situation in Kampung Tanduo is under control.
The group, which wants to be known as the 'Royal Army of Sulu Sultanate', among others, is also claiming ownership of Sabah and wants the state to be returned as a territory of the Sulu Sultanate, claiming it was seized by the British from the Sulu Government.
Feb 18 - Hishammuddin says the governments of Malaysia and Philippines are working closely to resolve the conflict, through diplomacy and without bloodshed.
Feb 24 - The Philippine government sends a boat under humanitarian mission to ferry the 180 armed personnel, including 30 armed guards, holding up in Lahad Datu, Sabah since Feb 12. Feb 26 - The deadline to expel the group passes but negotiations are still in progress.
Feb 28 - The Malaysian government is urged to negotiate directly with sultan Jamalul Kiram III in Manila to end the conflict of seizing the area in Lahad Datu, Sabah which has prolonged for more than three weeks. The call is made by Jamalul's youngest brother, Agbimuddin Kiram, who stresses that only his brother can order the 180 Royal Army personnel to leave Felda Sahabat 17, Lahad Datu.
March 1 - a shootout breaks out between security forces and a small group of intruders when they try to break a police blockade in Kampung Tanduo, resulting in two police commandos dead and three others injured.
All 12 members of the small group of intruders are killed. - Bernama
Published: Friday March 1, 2013 MYT 10:56:00 PM
Updated: Friday March 1, 2013 MYT 11:14:37 PM
Lahad Datu: Bodies of slain commandos to arrive in Subang
KUALA LUMPUR: The bodies of the two police commandos, killed in the clash between Malaysian armed forces and Sulu gunmen in Lahad Datu, will arrive at Subang airport early Saturday morning, said Assistant Head of the IGP Secretariat (Public Relations) ACP Ramli Mohamed Yusof.
The two men - Insp Zulkifli Mamat, 29, dan Kpl Sabarudin Daud, 46 - had served in the Ulu Kinta camp in Perak.
Zulkifli, from Kampung Kubang Ikan, Besut, Terengganu, leaves behind wife Noraziah Noor and two sons aged four and one.
Sabarudin, from Sungai Besar, Sabak Bernam, leaves behind wife Nurunisa Abu Bakar, two sons and a daughter.
The three injured commandos are Kpl Mohd Tarmizi Hashim, 32, Kpl Azman Ampong, 39, and Konstabel Mohamad Qaiyum'aiqal Zolkifli, 22.
Ramli said Mohd Tarmizi had injuries to his hand and feet while Azman suffered injuries to his thigh and buttocks.
They are being treated at the Lahad Datu Hospital.
Meanwhile, Mohamad Qaiyum'aiqal who suffered injuries to his right shoulder and both legs was flown to Sandakan Hospital. Bernama
Published: Friday March 1, 2013 MYT 6:10:00 PM
Updated: Friday March 1, 2013 MYT 11:57:04 PM
Lahad Datu: PM confirms two commandos killed; regrets bloodshed
BY MAZWIN NIK ANIS, SIMON KHOO and MUGUNTAN VANAR
PEKAN: The Prime Minister has confirmed that two police personnel were killed and three others injured during the clash between Malaysian armed forces and Sulu gunmen in Tanduo village near Lahad Datu, Sabah.
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the armed Philippino group had ventured 1.5km from their holed up area and opened fire at the Malaysian security forces.
"I am very sad over the incident because what we had wanted to prevent, which is bloodshed, had actually happened.
"Now there is no grace period for the group to leave.
“I have given the full mandate to the ground commanders, namely the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar and the Armed Forces Chief Tan Sri Zulkefli Mohd Zin to take necessary action deemed necessary," he said.
Meanwhile, in Lahad Datu, Sabah police commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib told reporters that 12 Sulu gunmen were killed in the clash between Malaysian General Operations Force members and the gunmen.
The number of injured among the Sulu group is unknown.
At a 6pm press conference, Hamza said the skirmish began at 9.59am Friday and last ed 30 minutes after five elite GOF members moved to tighten the cordon around Tanduo village where the Sulu group of about 180 including 30 gunmen led by Raja Muda Azzimudie Kiram had been holed up since Feb 9.
``Our men stumbled upon several of the intruders who fired at them, forcing our police to return fire,'' he said, adding that security forces are now holding their ground around the radius of 10sq km.
He said police recovered some of the weapons of the Sulu group.
Published: Friday March 1, 2013 MYT 5:21:00 PM
Lahad Datu: Lull after the shootout
FELDA SAHABAT (LAHAD DATU) A lull is reported in the clash between Malaysian security forces and the Sulu armed group this afternoon after the exchange of gunfire in Tanduo village.
Although officially unconfirmed, the reported casualty tally remains at more then ten Sulu gunmen dead and four injured including its leader Rajah Mudah Azzimudie Kiram with two commandos of the General Operations Force dead and four injured.
Three of the GOF injured men have been airlifted to Lahad Datu hospital and another to the Duchess of Kent hospital in Sandakan.
Conflicting reports emerged from the ground that the GOF forces were holding their fire and their positions while there has been no word from Azzumudie who last talked with a radio station in Manila at about 11am confirming the fire fight and the group's casualties.
It is believed that apart from machine gunfire, mortars were used during the encounter though details of how the clash began remains unclear.
However, it appears that the Malaysian security forces were fired upon first by the Sulu gunmen.
On standby are also the Army units who were seen at various strategic locations along the road to Sahabat Felda 17 where the Sulu group have been holed up.
Journalists have been told to wait at a neighbouring Sahabat 16 resort for a police press conference scheduled for 5pm.
Published: Tuesday February 26, 2013 MYT 11:24:00 AM
Updated: Tuesday February 26, 2013 MYT 4:53:28 PM
Philippines' Aquino warns Sulu sultan over stand-off with Malaysia
Sitti
Krishna Idjirami (left), sister of Jamalul Kiram III (centre), the
74-year-old Sultan of Sulu, and Crown Prince Bantillan Kiram (right)
speaking at a press conference in Manila on February 26, 2013. Aquino told Sultan Jamalul Kiram III to recall 180 of his followers, about 30 of whom were armed, from a fishing village near Lahad Datu where they have been facing off with Malaysian security forces since Feb 9.
"If you choose not to cooperate, the full force of the laws of the state will be used to achieve justice for all who have been put in harm's way," Aquino said in a statement aired on national television.
"This is a situation that cannot persist. If you are truly the leader of your people, you should be one with us in ordering your followers to return home peacefully."
He warned Kiram that he had also ordered an investigation "into possible violations of laws by you, your followers, and collaborators engaged in this foolhardy act".
Aquino cited a constitutional provision renouncing war as an instrument of policy and a law prohibiting citizens against inciting war, which is punishable by up to 12 years in prison.
Kiram's followers made a boat trip from their homes on remote islands in the southern Philippines to occupy the Malaysian fishing village two weeks ago, after the sultan gave them a blessing to live there.
Kiram says he is the head of the Sultanate of Sulu, which once controlled parts of Borneo, including the site of the stand-off, as well as southern Philippines islands.
Aquino said his government was working with Malaysian authorities in an effort to peacefully resolve the stand-off. - AFP
Friday February 15, 2013
PM: Talks ongoing to get group to leave peacefully
PAPAR: Negotiations are ongoing to persuade a group of armed militants from the Philippines to leave Malaysia peacefully and to prevent bloodshed, says Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
He said he was informed that the group, believed to be between 80 and 100 people, could not move because the security forces had formed two separate barriers manned by the police and the armed forces.
The Prime Minister, who was briefed by Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar and Sabah police chief Datuk Hamza Taib on the latest situation, said attempts were being made to persuade the militants to return to the southern Philippines.
“We have surrounded the area and our police and armed forces have the ability to handle the matter.
“The Government choose to deal with it (issue) through negotiations and get the group to leave peacefully to prevent bloodshed.
“Negotiations between our authorities and the group are already taking place.
“We hope it will be successful and the issue will be resolved quickly,” he said yesterday.
Malaysian security forces have surrounded the group, who landed in Lahad Datu on Tuesday.
Ismail had said the group had been ordered to lay down their arms and surrender, adding that the intrusion was related to problems in the southern Philippines.
Najib said there was no hostage situation in Lahad Datu and that the Philippine Government had been informed of the matter.
“We are also in the process of establishing the reason for them coming here so it is best if we do not speculate,” he said when asked on talks that the group was unhappy over last year's Kuala Lumpur-brokered peace deal between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Manila.
Najib said the authorities were doing their best to protect Malaysian waters from illegal intrusions but due to its vast size, it was impossible for security forces to be everywhere at the same time.
“Nevertheless, we were able to get information (of the armed men encroaching Lahad Datu) fast and act upon it by surrounding the area,” he said.
Published: Wednesday February 13, 2013 MYT 10:12:00 PM
Updated: Wednesday February 13, 2013 MYT 10:14:26 PM
IGP: Armed foreigners who landed in Lahad Datu surrounded by security forces
PETALING JAYA: A group of armed foreigners who landed in Lahad Datu, Sabah on Tuesday has been surrounded by Malaysian security forces.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar said security forces surrounded the area when the intruders, believed to be from the Philippines, landed on Tuesday morning.
"They have been directed to put down their weapons and surrender," he said in a statement Wednesday.
Ismail said the intrusion was related to problems in southern Philippines.
"The situation is under control and the public need not be unduly worried," he said.
Earlier Wednesday, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zahid Hamidi said he had ordered Armed Forces chief Jen Tan Sri Zulkifeli Mohd Zin to take immediate action together with the police over the matter, to ensure the country's defences and security were at the optimum level.
"We will seek cooperation from neighbouring countries. I will also ask the Armed Forces chief to give a detailed report on the situation there when possible," he added.
