Video - Najib
mishandled Lahad Datu
The
lunatic Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders have in the past accused Pakatan
Rakyat (PR) de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim as an agent for the Americans, an
agent for the Jews, an agent for China, now an agent for Sulu!!! BN accuses him
of being an agent for almost every country in the world. BN leaders have gone
cuckoo for fear of being rejected by the rakyat
in the coming 13th General Election.
VIDEO Najib mishandled Lahad Datu - Anwar
LAHAD
DATU, Malaysia: Five Malaysian policemen and two gunmen died in a fresh clash
on Borneo as fears mounted that violence linked to a deadly standoff with
Filipino intruders had spread to other areas, police said on Sunday.
The shootout late on Saturday in the town of Semporna followed a firefight the day before, between Filipino followers of a self-proclaimed sultan and Malaysian security forces that left 12 intruders dead along with two police officers.
The new clash in Semporna, 300 kilometres (190 miles) from the site of the three-week standoff, occurred when police were "ambushed" by gunmen during a security sweep, Malaysia's national police chief Ismail Omar told reporters.
An estimated 100-300 Filipinos have been surrounded in a farming village by a Malaysian police and military cordon since landing by boat from the nearby Philippines on February 12 to insist the area belongs to their Islamic leader.
The leader, Jamalul Kiram III, 74, claims to be the heir to the Islamic sultanate of Sulu, which once controlled parts of the southern Philippines and the Malaysian state of Sabah on Borneo.
The shootout late on Saturday in the town of Semporna followed a firefight the day before, between Filipino followers of a self-proclaimed sultan and Malaysian security forces that left 12 intruders dead along with two police officers.
The new clash in Semporna, 300 kilometres (190 miles) from the site of the three-week standoff, occurred when police were "ambushed" by gunmen during a security sweep, Malaysia's national police chief Ismail Omar told reporters.
An estimated 100-300 Filipinos have been surrounded in a farming village by a Malaysian police and military cordon since landing by boat from the nearby Philippines on February 12 to insist the area belongs to their Islamic leader.
The leader, Jamalul Kiram III, 74, claims to be the heir to the Islamic sultanate of Sulu, which once controlled parts of the southern Philippines and the Malaysian state of Sabah on Borneo.
Malaysian
media also quoted Ismail saying that police were pursuing yet another group of
armed men in Kunak, another town in the area.
The fresh developments have sparked Malaysian fears of a possible wider campaign of violence by supporters of the group in Sabah, which has large numbers of Filipino immigrants, both legal and illegal.
Officials issued calls for calm as some stores in the region reported panic buying of goods.
"I am calling for cooperation and assistance from local leaders to tone down the sentiments and numerous rumours on what is happening in Sabah," the state's chief minister Musa Aman was quoted saying by Malaysian media.
Earlier on Sunday, Sabah police chief Hamza Taib was quoted as confirming the latest clash was linked to the ongoing siege in the village of Tanduo, which is hours away by road. Reports provided no further details.
The fresh developments have sparked Malaysian fears of a possible wider campaign of violence by supporters of the group in Sabah, which has large numbers of Filipino immigrants, both legal and illegal.
Officials issued calls for calm as some stores in the region reported panic buying of goods.
"I am calling for cooperation and assistance from local leaders to tone down the sentiments and numerous rumours on what is happening in Sabah," the state's chief minister Musa Aman was quoted saying by Malaysian media.
Earlier on Sunday, Sabah police chief Hamza Taib was quoted as confirming the latest clash was linked to the ongoing siege in the village of Tanduo, which is hours away by road. Reports provided no further details.
Ismail
said, however, it remained unclear whether there was any link.
The situation is a highly delicate one for the Southeast Asian neighbours.
The Philippine government is looking to consolidate recent progress in mending fences with Islamic separatists in its south.
Malaysia, meanwhile, could face pressure at home for taking harsh action against the intruders.
Following Friday's initial firefight, Malaysian police threatened "drastic action" to clear out the trespassers.
Philippine President Benigno Aquino, who has sharply criticised the intruders, also urged them to surrender unconditionally.
But Kiram's spokesman, Abraham Idjirani, repeated on Sunday that his followers would not budge.
He added the sultan would seek US intervention, citing a past agreement with Washington, which controlled the Philippines in the early 1900s.
"(Malaysia) want to hide the truth, that they do not own Sabah. It is owned by us," he said.
US embassy officials in Manila were not immediately available to comment.
The Sulu sultanate's power faded about a century ago but it has continued to receive nominal payments from Malaysia for Sabah under a historical lease arrangement passed down from European colonial powers.
Kiram's people are demanding Malaysia recognise the sultanate owns Sabah and share profits from economic development in the state.
The situation is a highly delicate one for the Southeast Asian neighbours.
The Philippine government is looking to consolidate recent progress in mending fences with Islamic separatists in its south.
Malaysia, meanwhile, could face pressure at home for taking harsh action against the intruders.
Following Friday's initial firefight, Malaysian police threatened "drastic action" to clear out the trespassers.
Philippine President Benigno Aquino, who has sharply criticised the intruders, also urged them to surrender unconditionally.
But Kiram's spokesman, Abraham Idjirani, repeated on Sunday that his followers would not budge.
He added the sultan would seek US intervention, citing a past agreement with Washington, which controlled the Philippines in the early 1900s.
"(Malaysia) want to hide the truth, that they do not own Sabah. It is owned by us," he said.
US embassy officials in Manila were not immediately available to comment.
The Sulu sultanate's power faded about a century ago but it has continued to receive nominal payments from Malaysia for Sabah under a historical lease arrangement passed down from European colonial powers.
Kiram's people are demanding Malaysia recognise the sultanate owns Sabah and share profits from economic development in the state.
