An all-out action will be taken against the supporters of the
Sultanate of Sulu occupying part of Sabah following a shootout on Friday
that left 14 people dead, Malaysia's The Star reported.
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak announced he has already given
orders to the police chief to "take whatever action is deemed necessary"
as the deadline for the Filipinos to leave has already transpired.
"They have been given full powers. It is up to them and the ground
commanders can take action," Najib said in a press conference.
"There will be no compromise; either they surrender or face the consequences," he continued.
In a separate
report
, Najib said he had spoken to President Benigno Aquino III Friday night regarding the matter.
He said the window for negotiations is already closed, given the hostile stand taken by the Sulu Royal Army.
On Friday, tensions at the coveted Sabah led to a shootout that left
two Malaysian police and 12 Filipinos dead, Malaysian officials
reported. The spokesperson of the Sultanate of Sulu, however, claimed
only 10 of their men died in the bloody encounter.
Najib has expressed sadness amid the deaths of Malaysian police and said security in the area has been tightened.
He also stressed the supporters of the Sultanate of Sulu have already
been surrounded with navy vessels also patrolling the area to prevent
them from escaping.
"What is important now is that whatever means must be used to cripple the group," Najib said.
'Drastic action'
Malaysian Police also said the remaining members of the Royal Army of
Sulu holed up in Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu town must surrender or risk
facing "drastic action."
Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar said the group, led
by the brother of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, must immediately lay
down their arms and surrender.
''We have no other options but to take the necessary action to detain
them,'' he said in a report in the Malaysian news portal The Star.
He added that the sultanate's followers are now "trapped" since the police are in complete control of the situation.
"The intruders have been cordoned off in Kampung Tanduo by the
security forces... The group is trapped in Kampung Tanduo," Ismail said
in a report by state news agency
Bernama
.
"I again ask them to lay down arms and surrender. Otherwise, I will
have to resort to drastic and necessary measures to end the situation,"
he added.
Omar also said that those who surrender would face action under Malaysian law, noting that they have committed a
serious offense
.
Meanwhile, Minister Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Tun Hussein said he would be staying in Sabah until the standoff is resolved.
Malaysian officials claim 12 members of the armed group were killed
in a shootout with the police commandos Friday morning. The spokesman of
the Kirams, however, claim only 10 died in the encounter while four
others were wounded.
Two police commandos were also killed and three others injured in the firefight.
source: abs-cbnnews.com
