KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 — Forty per cent of the PAS candidates for the
next general election will be young people, said PAS Youth chief
Nasrudin Hassan Tantawi.
He said the names of the candidates, drawn from the Youth, women’s and ulama wings, had been sent to the PAS central committee.
“We (the Youth machinery) are 99 per cent ready. The young candidates
have been identified and have started campaigning in their respective
constituencies,” he told reporters here.
Nasrudin said PAS Youth felt that it was not necessary to postpone
the general election in view of the intrusion by Sulu militants in
Sabah.
“This is in accordance with the government’s statement that the
situation there (in Lahad Datu) is under control. We hope this will not
be cited as an excuse to postpone the general election,” he said. —
Bernama
Manila starts probe on Sabah conflict, summons Kiram adviser
KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 — The Philippine National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) kicked off its investigation into the Sabah violence yesterday, summoning Sulu Sultanate adviser Pastor “Boy” Saycon for questioning next Tuesday.
Media reports in the Philippines said the subpoena was likely part of the NBI’s pursuit of conspiracy claims in the ongoing armed conflict between Malaysian security forces and the Sulu “royal army” in the east Malaysian state.
Quoting the Sultanate’s spokesman Abraham Idjirani, The Philippine Star said this was the start of the government’s “crackdown” on the self-proclaimed Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III’s followers, who are now bracing themselves for the possibility of facing criminal charges for starting the rebellion in Sabah.
The daily said the subpoena, signed by Intelligence Services deputy director Reynaldo Esmeralda, was delivered at 4pm yesterday to Saycon’s office in Makati by NBI agents.
Saycon, the Council for Philippine Affairs (COPA) secretary-general, has been linked to destabilisation plots in past administrations, according to ABS-CBN News in its online report yesterday.
“I suspect it would be because of the recent developments and the entry into Sabah,” Saycon told The Philippine Star, despite admitting he had yet to read the subpoena.
“It is anticipated that supporters of the sultan will be charged. They are now preparing the ground for more subpoenas… the threat of the government has been lingering for the past two weeks.”
The political strategist also reported that the Sulu Sultanate has put together a team of lawyers to assist supporters who may be investigated or hauled to court over the Sabah violence, which Malaysian authorities said on Thursday have claimed the lives of 52 Filipinos and eight Malaysians.
“I think the government wants to put up a conspiracy without any basis and blame people instead of solving the worsening crisis in Sabah,” Saycon alleged, according to the English broadsheet.
According to previous reports, Saycon has admitted to being the Kiram clan’s adviser on foreign, economic and cultural relations for over a decade now but denied pushing the Sulu “royal” army to attempt taking over Sabah.
The Philippine Star said NBI director Nonnatus Rojas could not be reached for comment to confirm the purpose of the subpoena, but pointed out that he had recently said the bureau was investigating “the people behind the Sabah incident.”
I think the government wants to put up a conspiracy without any basis and blame people instead of solving the worsening crisis in Sabah. — Sulu Sultanate adviser Pastor “Boy” SayconThe paper also reported the Philippine government as saying yesterday that Kiram’s men in Sabah may have only joined the Sulu forces after being lured by money.
“We’ve seen also in some reports in media, that some of them… part of the royal sultanate forces, were paid $600… were promised to be paid $600. They were promised land, they were promised positions in the sultanate. That is not being denied,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda was quoted as saying.
Jamalul’s brother Agbimuddin Kiram, the self-proclaimed crown prince of the Sulu Sultanate, is leading the band of over 200 rebels in the east Malaysian state of Sabah, where the group have been holed-up since February 9.
The armed men faced their first clash with Malaysian security forces last Friday, after weeks of peaceful negotiations failed, and subsequent skirmishes over the weekend reportedly saw many Sulu gunmen felled, as well as eight Malaysian policemen.
Malaysia launched an all-out assault on Tuesday morning, including an aerial attack that saw bombs and heavy artillery fire rained down on the now-beleaguered Kampung Tanduo where the men were hiding.
As of Thursday, Malaysian authorities placed the Sulu death toll at 52, with 32 killed during ground skirmishes following Tuesday’s aerial assault.
Dr M convinced political climate favours BN
MARANG, March 9 — Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said
today he is convinced that the current political situation is more
favourable to the Barisan Nasional (BN) than during the general election
in 2008.
Dr Mahathir (picture) said the various approaches adopted by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak were better received by the people.
“I feel that after Datuk Seri Najib took over as the prime minister, the political climate changed and gradually began to favour the BN and Umno.
“In 2008, many Umno members also voted for the opposition due to disappointment.
There is no reason for them to be disappointed now and Najib has been doing a lot to regain support for Umno and the BN,” he told reporters after delivering “A Statesman’s Message to the People of Marang”, an event attended by about 2,000 people, here.
Also present were Dr Mahathir’s wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said and state executive councillors.
Later when attending a “Gathering of the People with Leaders” session at Sekolah Kebangsaan Panglima Raja, Lemal, Pasir Mas, Kelantan, Dr Mahathir said Kelantan was “ripe” for the BN to recapture the state from PAS.
“The people in Kelantan are turning out in droves to hear BN leaders speak. And they are very spirited about the ‘Tukar’ (change) slogan to boot out the PAS government,” he said, adding that they were fed up with PAS because although 23 years in power in the state their lives had not improved much.
Also present were Kelantan Umno chief Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed and Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali, who is also the MP for Pasir Mas. — Bernama
“I feel that after Datuk Seri Najib took over as the prime minister, the political climate changed and gradually began to favour the BN and Umno.
“In 2008, many Umno members also voted for the opposition due to disappointment.
There is no reason for them to be disappointed now and Najib has been doing a lot to regain support for Umno and the BN,” he told reporters after delivering “A Statesman’s Message to the People of Marang”, an event attended by about 2,000 people, here.
Also present were Dr Mahathir’s wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said and state executive councillors.
Later when attending a “Gathering of the People with Leaders” session at Sekolah Kebangsaan Panglima Raja, Lemal, Pasir Mas, Kelantan, Dr Mahathir said Kelantan was “ripe” for the BN to recapture the state from PAS.
“The people in Kelantan are turning out in droves to hear BN leaders speak. And they are very spirited about the ‘Tukar’ (change) slogan to boot out the PAS government,” he said, adding that they were fed up with PAS because although 23 years in power in the state their lives had not improved much.
Also present were Kelantan Umno chief Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed and Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali, who is also the MP for Pasir Mas. — Bernama
Kiram clan wants death toll proven, insists only 10 soldiers dead
KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 — The Kiram clan believes only 10 of its men
have fallen in Sabah and not 52 as claimed by Malaysian authorities,
family spokesman Abraham Idjirani has said, suggesting the use of
propaganda by Malaysia to claim success over its counterattack on the
Filipinos.
Idjirani said the family wants Malaysia to permit foreign journalists, including those from the Philippines, to enter the conflict zone in Lahad Datu, Sabah, to confirm the Sulu death toll.
“You must allow the foreign and local media into the conflict areas
to verify their claims. Until that is done, everything is subject to
debate,” he was quoted in The Philippine Star as saying yesterday.
Idjirani, who was speaking on behalf of self-proclaimed Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, said information received from Jamalul’s brother Agbimuddin Kiram confirmed that only 10 of the “royal” Sulu army have been killed since Malaysia launched attacks last Friday.
In an ABN-CBS News broadcast yesterday, Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesman Raul Hernandez said the government was still trying to verify the number of Filipino casualties in Sabah, saying they could only rely on information offered to them by the Malaysian authorities.
Agbimuddin, the self-proclaimed crown prince of the Sulu Sultanate, is leading the band of over 200 rebels in the east Malaysian state of Sabah, where the group have been holed-up since February 9.
The armed men faced their first clash with Malaysian security forces last Friday, after weeks of peaceful negotiations failed, and subsequent skirmishes over the weekend reportedly saw many Sulu gunmen felled, as well as eight Malaysian policemen.
Malaysia launched an all-out assault on Tuesday morning, including an aerial attack that saw bombs and heavy artillery fire rained down on the now-beleaguered Kampung Tanduo where the men were hiding.
As of Thursday, Malaysian authorities placed the Sulu death toll at 52, with 32 killed during ground skirmishes following Tuesday’s aerial assault.
But Idjirani said yesterday that the Sulu men only clashed once with the Malaysians — last Friday — and only 10 lives were claimed.
“We call it the March 1 Massacre,” he was quoted in Philippine network ABN-CBS News as saying.
Quoting Agbimuddin, Idjirani said that all 235 soldiers of the Sulu army have been accounted for, with 10 dead, 10 arrested and four injured.
Agbimuddin last contacted his family in the Philippines at 2.30pm yesterday, according to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, saying he and his men were still alive and on the run but were suffering from hunger.
The daily reported Agbimuddin as saying that his forces have regrouped and have successfully been evading the relentless assault by Malaysian security forces who are still advancing on them slowly in the rugged terrain.
“They are constantly moving, not by boat, not by any means of transportation but by themselves. They are on foot. They are suffering from hunger,” Idjirani was quoted as saying.
Agbimuddin’s niece Jacel Kiram described the attacks by Malaysian security forces as “maximum violence”, instead of the “maximum tolerance” requested by the Philippine government before Tuesday’s assault.
But despite this, the Sulu “princess” said the Sultanate’s order for a ceasefire still stands and the army in Sabah have been advised to stay on the defensive.
“The instruction for them is to be always on the defensive, just be ready for any assault or attack. Just defence, no attack,” she reportedly said.
Malaysia rejected the Kiram family’s ceasefire call on Thursday, demanding instead that the Sulu gunmen lay down arms and surrender unconditionally.
Idjirani said the family wants Malaysia to permit foreign journalists, including those from the Philippines, to enter the conflict zone in Lahad Datu, Sabah, to confirm the Sulu death toll.
Idjirani, who was speaking on behalf of self-proclaimed Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, said information received from Jamalul’s brother Agbimuddin Kiram confirmed that only 10 of the “royal” Sulu army have been killed since Malaysia launched attacks last Friday.
In an ABN-CBS News broadcast yesterday, Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesman Raul Hernandez said the government was still trying to verify the number of Filipino casualties in Sabah, saying they could only rely on information offered to them by the Malaysian authorities.
Agbimuddin, the self-proclaimed crown prince of the Sulu Sultanate, is leading the band of over 200 rebels in the east Malaysian state of Sabah, where the group have been holed-up since February 9.
The armed men faced their first clash with Malaysian security forces last Friday, after weeks of peaceful negotiations failed, and subsequent skirmishes over the weekend reportedly saw many Sulu gunmen felled, as well as eight Malaysian policemen.
Malaysia launched an all-out assault on Tuesday morning, including an aerial attack that saw bombs and heavy artillery fire rained down on the now-beleaguered Kampung Tanduo where the men were hiding.
As of Thursday, Malaysian authorities placed the Sulu death toll at 52, with 32 killed during ground skirmishes following Tuesday’s aerial assault.
But Idjirani said yesterday that the Sulu men only clashed once with the Malaysians — last Friday — and only 10 lives were claimed.
“We call it the March 1 Massacre,” he was quoted in Philippine network ABN-CBS News as saying.
Quoting Agbimuddin, Idjirani said that all 235 soldiers of the Sulu army have been accounted for, with 10 dead, 10 arrested and four injured.
Agbimuddin last contacted his family in the Philippines at 2.30pm yesterday, according to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, saying he and his men were still alive and on the run but were suffering from hunger.
You must allow the foreign and local media into the conflict areas to verify their claims. Until that is done, everything is subject to debate. — Kiram clan spokesman
The daily reported Agbimuddin as saying that his forces have regrouped and have successfully been evading the relentless assault by Malaysian security forces who are still advancing on them slowly in the rugged terrain.
“They are constantly moving, not by boat, not by any means of transportation but by themselves. They are on foot. They are suffering from hunger,” Idjirani was quoted as saying.
Agbimuddin’s niece Jacel Kiram described the attacks by Malaysian security forces as “maximum violence”, instead of the “maximum tolerance” requested by the Philippine government before Tuesday’s assault.
But despite this, the Sulu “princess” said the Sultanate’s order for a ceasefire still stands and the army in Sabah have been advised to stay on the defensive.
“The instruction for them is to be always on the defensive, just be ready for any assault or attack. Just defence, no attack,” she reportedly said.
Malaysia rejected the Kiram family’s ceasefire call on Thursday, demanding instead that the Sulu gunmen lay down arms and surrender unconditionally.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)