Being on the edge of Borneo

A Rungus boy in traditional wear with the Kalampunian Beach located near Tanjung Simpang Mengayau in the background. - Photo from Tourism Malaysia

Never mind the usual suspects of beaches near Kota Kinabalu or the diving sites off Sabah. It’s about time to try a relatively unspoilt area instead!

Robert Frost once wrote, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference.” He could very well have written about Tanjung Simpang Mengayau, a mere dot on the map of Kudat district in Malaysia. Relatively unknown due to its remote location, Tanjung Simpang Mengayau doesn’t get many visitors, and for now, this outpost on Borneo Island remains a paradise.

This promontory in an isolated part of Sabah northeast of Kota Kinabalu, is reachable after three hours’ drive, the last part of which is over unpaved dirt roads snaking through a small traditional Borneo village. A proper road to these parts, in fact, was only built as recently as in the 1960s, prior to which access was made possible only by navigating a boat along the coast.

But those who don’t care for a little discomfort – though it must be said, the views along the way are spectacular – will be rewarded, at journey’s end, with a landscape so magnificent that you will believe in the existence of heaven on earth.

The crescent-shaped Kalampunian Beach here is carpeted in pure white sands on which gentle waves lap to the shore. This sweeping coastline, fringed by casuarinas trees and said to be one of the most inspiring vistas in Sabah, leads up to the rocky headland called Tanjung Simpang Mengayau, the northern-most tip of Borneo.

The Tip of Borneo at Kudat – Tanjung Simpang Mengayau. Photo from Tourism Malaysia

Now, imagine standing on this cliff edge and looking out to where the South China and Sulu seas meet in a great clash of waves. Dark and wet sandstone boulders stretch out into the sea like beached humpback whales in a spray of ocean mist. The winds blow in forceful, frightening gusts, wafting a fine vapour of sand into the air. Visitors stand in awe with tousled up hair and billowing skirts. It feels like you are in a remote frontier, facing wild and unknown possibilities – it’s exhilarating. Perhaps this was what Ferdinand Magellan, fabled to have stopped here during his circumnavigation of the globe, felt those many years ago.

It hadn’t always been such a solitary place, though. The name, Tanjung Simpang Mengayau itself is derived from the Rungus words sampang mangazo referring to the great battles once fought here in the 18th and 19th centuries by the locals. According to legend, the coast was a favourite landing point for looting pirates, and Rungus warriors bravely fought them off in bloody battles to protect their land. Tanjung Simpang Mengayau then became the perfect lookout point for incoming pirate attacks.

Though it is uncertain how long the Rungus have been occupying the area, they are considered to be the most traditional tribe in Sabah due to their isolation from the bigger towns for so many years. While many have adapted to modern living rather well, the older generations still clutch to their unique culture and traditions.

Many of the female elders continue to wear traditional brass coils on their arms and drape colourful beads around their necks. Their basketry, weaving and beading works are said to be legendary, and while modern ways have overtaken their more traditional lifestyle, it is still possible to visit a Rungus village and experience a night’s stay in their longhouse at Kampung Bavanggazo.

Besides the homestay in the Rungus longhouse, there are only a handful of places that can accommodate tourists in Tanjung Simpang Mengayau and Kudat, reflecting the district’s relatively new exposure to tourism (See “Accommodations” below).

However, there are still a number of cultural experiences here that warrants a tourist to put up at least a night in the area, such as seeing gong artisans at work in Kampung Sumangkap and the small apiculture industry at Kampung Gombizau. The people of Gombizau, familiar with the local botanical properties, have also commercialized a type of cure-all called ubat seribuor potion of a thousand uses made of wild plants, roots and herbs. Reputed to alleviate various health problems such as high blood pressure and diabetes, it is a worthy souvenir to bring home.

Each year, Kudat also plays host to several interesting events such as the Gong Fest in Matunggong village in October and the Coconut Fest in July (coconut being an important crop in the district). There is also a special outdoor orchestra performance at Tanjung Simpang Mengayau each year (late June/early July) that attracts crowds to the area – one that begins at the hour the sun sets on the horizon, promising a glorious musical event to remember.

The Gong Fest in Matunggong village is a spectacle of sound and sight! - Photo from Tourism Malaysia

Even without all these touristic events, it’s easy to fall in love with Kudat, and especially Tanjung Simpang Mengayau. No wonder the Rungus people were especially defensive of their beloved land and put up a real good fight those centuries ago!

Accommodations:

Kudat

The Kudat Golf & Marina Resort offers 88 rooms ranging from standard to deluxe suites. Published room rates start at RM220 nett all the way up to RM450 nett inclusive of breakfast. Facilities available at the resort are an 18-hole golf course, semi-Olympic size swimming pool, fitness centre, sauna, tennis court and children’s playground.

www.kudatgolfmarinaresort.com
Email: marina_r@streamyx.com / kgmr@tm.net.my

Tanjung Simpang Mengayau

There are a number of budget accommodations at Kalampunian Beach located along the road that takes you to the Tip of Borneo. Though not high-end resorts or hotels, these no-frills accommodations provide comfortable and clean amenities at affordable prices. Best of all, they have great views of the beach and sunset.

Tampat Do Aman is a low-impact “jungle camp” located at the fringe of the Sabah state forest reserve and just 10 to 20 minutes’ walk to the Kalampunian Beach. Tampat Do Aman provides guests with two types of sleeping arrangements, either in traditional Rungus longhouses (complete with mosquito netting) or in semi-permanent tents (tents on raised wooden platforms with thatched roofs). Rates are RM30 per person per night in the longhouse or the tents. Do note that Tampat Do Aman has common toilet and bathroom facilities and no hot showers.

The jungle camp also has a beach-front restaurant, Tip Top Restaurant and Bar, which serves western and Asian dishes; and an activities centre that rents out recreational equipment such as snorkelling gear, bicycles and arranges for jungle trekking trips. Future plans here include building more chalets, a dive centre, a wildlife sanctuary and a Rungus cultural centre.

www.tampatdoaman.com
Email: tampatdoaman@gmail.com
Facebook: Tampat Do Aman

BorneoTip Beach Lodge is located right across the road from the beach where guests can enjoy nice beach and sunset views. It has 12 beach-facing rooms fitted with comfortable beds, warm showers and air conditioners. Guests can choose from rooms that sleep two, three, four or five, priced at RM150, RM180, RM200 and RM240 respectively. All prices are net and include breakfast. The lodge also has a restaurant and a mini lounge.

Facebook: BorneoTip Beach Lodge Kudat
Email: borneotip@yahoo.com

Tip of Borneo Resort is also known simply as Tommy’s Place. Guests just need to cross the road to get to the beach on the other side. It has eight rooms priced at RM130 for a room that fits two and RM160 for a room that fits three. Price is inclusive of taxes and breakfast. Tommy’s has a restaurant that serves a selection of local and western dishes.

www.tipofborneoresort.com
Email: tipofborneoresort@yahoo.com
Facebook: Tip of Borneo Resort

Credit: Tourism Malaysia

Kiram orders troops to stay, no surrender

The Sultans' daughter says the sultan's followers won't leave Sabah despite attacks by Malaysian security forces.

MANILA:  The daughter of self-proclaimed Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III on Saturday said the followers of the sultan are standing firm on their decision not to surrender even after the foreign affairs department said that laying down their arms is the only way left to prevent further bloodshed in Sabah.

Speaking with radio dzMM, Princess Jaycel said the group of Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram still won’t leave Sabah despite the attacks being launched against them by Malaysian security forces.

“Fior the Raja Muda and his people that this is honor above life, ” she said.

” They want to live there peacefully,” she added.

Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez on Friday said Raja Muda’s group is left with no other choice but to lay down their arms after the call for ceasefire was rejected by the Malaysian government.

Malaysian police had said the Filipinos were not showing any sign of surrendering, thus the operation against them will continue.

Hernandez said Malaysian forces are determined to “destroy militants” in Lahad Datu town.

Hernandez said, however, that the DFA has yet to confirm these incidents and the total number of fatalities in Sabah.

Malaysian troops said they shot and killed 32 followers of the sultan during the latest assault, bringing the total dead to 60, including 52 militants. Eight Malaysian policemen were killed in skirmishes last weekend.

However, citing information from Raja Muda, the spokesman of Kiram III said 10 royal army soldiers have so far died since armed clashes began last week.

Abraham Idjirani claimed no more royal army soldiers died in the succeeding attacks. He said 235 royal army soldiers have all been accounted for, with 10 fatalities, 10 arrested and 4 injured

Another claimant says he’s the true sultan of Sulu

MANILA, Philippines—Another sultan of Sulu has come forward, and his representatives say he is the real heir to the throne of Sulu.

Representatives of Datu Abinasser Sultan Badaruddin D. Mohammad Bataraza claimed on Friday that he was the real sultan of Sulu, as he was a descendant of the first wife of Sultan of Sulu Jamalul Alam.

Jamalul Alam was the sultan who signed the 1878 agreement to lease Sabah to the British North Borneo Company.

According to documents furnished the Inquirer, Badaruddin’s representatives have been trying to get President Aquino to recognize him as the real sultan of Sulu since July 25, 2012.

On Oct. 24, 2012, Badaruddin’s representatives wrote United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon asking for assistance in getting him recognized as the real sultan of Sulu.

Arturo Sampana, a former Inquirer correspondent and who identified himself as the spokesperson for the 74-year-old Badaruddin, said that the real sultan was in hiding but would come out soon to speak about his claim to the sultanate.

According to Sampana, Badaruddin is the fourth of the five children of Puteri Aishah Almarhum and Datu Mohammad Bataraza. His mother Aishah was the daughter of Puteri Sharifah Zainab, or Princess Indok, the wife of the Sultan of Sulu Badaruddin II who reigned from 1881 to 1884.

He said Badaruddin II was the successor to Sultan Jamalul Alam. When he died, allegedly of poisoning, his family, including Aishah, went into hiding.

Jamalul Kiram II, whose mother was the second wife of Jamalul Alam, succeeded Badaruddin II.

Sampana said Jamalul Kiram III, who claims he is the sultan of Sulu and whose followers are being chased by Malaysian security forces in the bushes of Sabah, was a descendant of the second wife of Jamalul Alam.

“Tartib is a traditional sultanate succession followed by Muslim Tausug generation (Sulu sultanate lineage) where the rightful heir to the sultan’s throne comes from the first wife of the reigning sultan,” Sampana said.

Family tree

He said Badaruddin’s ancestry could be determined by the official Tarsila, or family tree.

Sampana said the representatives sent copies of their letters to the President, to the UN secretary general and to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima earlier this week.

Badaruddin is coming out because of the revival of the Philippine claim to Sabah, Sampana said.

Badaruddin and his family lived in Sabah during the 1970s and returned to the country in 2009, but remained in hiding for their security, Sampana said.

He said Badaruddin was the only surviving heir to the throne, as elder brother Ayub Bataraza died three years ago.

Sampana showed the Inquirer a certified original copy of the congressional discussion of the Sabah claim on April 28, 1950, that led to the issuance of Joint Resolution No. 42 expressing the sense of the country that North Borneo belongs to the heirs of the sultan of Sulu and to the sovereignty of the Republic of the Philippines.

The record quoted Samar Rep. Agripino Escareal as explaining that the High Court of North Borneo recognized the heirs of the Sulu sultan in a suit they had filed.

Heirs

The heirs were Princess Dayang-Dayang, Princess Tarhata Kiram, Princess Ines Kiram and “a group of other Kirams and some others.”

When asked by his colleagues who the other Kirams were, Escareal said, “There is another Kiram in Palawan.”

Sampana said Escareal was referring to Abinasser Badaruddin, who was a young man at the time and living in Palawan.

In their letter to President Aquino, Sampana and Hajah Rohilmina Kamsa (who represented Abinasser as attorneys in fact) sought presidential assistance “for the fulfillment of the real sultan’s quest for official recognition by concerned entities.”

Fearing liquidation

“They are now in hiding, after they left Sabah, lest Datu Abinasser will be liquidated by those who want him dead, especially entities protecting the unrecognized (by Brunei, England and the US) sultan(s) now reigning in the Philippines so that he will not be able to claim the Sulu throne,” the representatives said.

They said they would present pertinent documents and artifacts, including the “golden seal, crown, belt and coins kept by the sultan’s family.”

In their letter to Ban, they asked for help from the United Nations, which  supervises the International Court of Justice, in seeking official recognition for Badaruddin.

Credit: http://globalnation.inquirer.net

Sultanate spokesperson denies receiving funds from Malaysian opposition

Abraham Idjirani,

Manila: Abraham Idjirani, spokesperson of the Sultanate of Sulu, reiterated Tuesday that he is not receiving funds from the Malaysian opposition, stressing that if it were true he wouldn’t make travels on a tricycle.

“Kapag may nag pi-finance sa’kin, sasabihin ko ‘i-provide niyo naman ako kahit lumang kotse bilang secretary general ng Sultanate,” Idjirani said in an interview with Radyo Inquirer 990AM.

Sultan Jamalul Kiram III’s brother, Raja Muda Azzimudie Kiram, has been leading a group of roughly 200 armed Filipinos in its fight over a territorial dispute in Lahad Datu, Sabah.

Clashes in the disputed area have taken the lives of several people from both sides.

Read more: http://globalnation.inquirer.net

Security forces stay on full alert

FORCEFUL RESPONSE: Strike by army and police sends a message to terrorists.

LAHAD DATU: THE attack against the Sulu terrorists yesterday marked the first collaboration between the police and the armed forces in recent decades to protect the the country's sovereignty.

Called Ops Daulat, the strike sent a strong message against any party threatening the security of Malaysians.

In a joint press conference by Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, both said this was the response Malaysians have been waiting for.

"Our patience was tested to the limit. We will not take our security and sovereignty for granted," said Zahid.

He gave an assurance that the security forces will remain on full alert and urged the people in Sabah to have confidence in them.

"Do not listen to rumours.

"This operation is focused on a few 'hot' zones and if there are to be any intrusions the armed forces and the police will be on full alert."

Zahid said there have been many postings on the social media, most of which had created confusion among the public.

"We have checked all of it and we are closely monitoring it."

Yesterday's operation saw the government putting to full use some of its key assets such as three F/A-18D Hornet and five Hawk 208 fighter jets.

More than 2,000 armed forces and police personnel were involved in the operation which began at 7am.

Zahid also expressed his gratitude for the understanding given by Philippine President Benigno Aquino on his stand against the group.

He said the Sulu terrorists who make up a small number in their country and Sulu people in Sabah were different.

"There are Sulu people in Sabah who are Malaysians with Sulu lineage, or those who are permanent residents, but this action is focused on terrorists who came from Sulu."

He also assured displaced villagers that their welfare will be looked into by the ministries and the National Security Council.

"Their daily needs will be looked into, we do not want them to suffer for a long period," Zahid added.

Hishammuddin said the government wanted to avoid any loss of lives and bloodshed but as they waited, monitored and probed the incident, the situation became a threat and the decision to strike was made.

The Foreign ministry had also helped from the start of the standoff to resolve the problem.

"This operation is not over and we will continue what we have started," the home minister added.

Security forces members heading for Felda Sahabat 17. Pic by Osman Adnan

Lahad Datu: Philippines media says thousands of Suluks sailing to Sabah

PETALING JAYA: The Philippine Daily Inquirer is reporting that thousands of Suluk from southern Philippines have sailed to Sabah to join forces with the armed intruders in Lahad Datu.

Quoting a source from the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), the report claimed that many have made their way to Sabah in small boats to support the armed intrusion.

MNLF's Islamic Council Committee chairman Habib Hashim Mudjahab, told the Inquirer: "Many of our people are going to Sabah to help the sultanate. They sailed in small numbers so they can easily penetrate Sabah unnoticed."

"The naval blockade is of no use" he said, referring to a naval blockade by the Philippine navy and coast guard to ensure armed sympathisers do not join cross over to Sabah.

"President (Benigno) Aquino kept issuing statements favouring the Malaysians, which made our people agitated. The President must realise that it is about pride and honor, and our people are ready to sacrifice," Mudjahab said.

A retired educator in Tawi-Tawi, who asked not to be identified by name, said the sultanate of Sulu represented an extension of their rich heritage.

"They are the first Filipinos. The sultanate of Sulu was already there even before Philippines existed," he claimed.

A group of Sulu gunmen have been involved in a stand-off with Malaysian security forces in Kampung Tanduo in Lahad Datu, Sabah, since Feb 9.

An all-out attack was conducted by Malaysian forces on Tuesday to flush out the intruders.

Sulu group cornered within smaller area after shootout

FELDA SAHABAT 17 (Lahad Datu): Security forces have locked down all of Felda Sahabat 17 after a tense morning which saw 12 Sulu gunmen and two police commandos killed in a shootout.

Three policemen, who were injured, were airlifted to Lahad Datu and Sandakan hospitals. One of them is reported to be in critical condition.

The two dead policemen were identified as Insp Zulkifli Mamat (pic) and Kpl Sabaruddin Daud.

The casualty figures among the Sulu gunmen are vague although their leader Raja Muda Azzimudie Kiram, who is believed to be injured, had claimed that 10 of his men were dead and four were injured before his cellphone went dead.

Police have recovered two M16 rifles, two semi-automatic rifles and two pistols as well as ammunition for grenade launchers and a bag of clothes near where the gunfight occurred.

At nightfall, Malaysian security forces closed in on their position, holding their fire but awaiting their next tactical move to regain Tanduo after the Government decided that it would no longer tolerate the intrusion by Azzimudie and his 180-or-so followers, including 30 gunmen.

They had entered the state on Feb 9 before the standoff began on Feb 12.

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib told reporters at 6pm yesterday that the skirmish occurred at 10am and lasted between 20 and 30 minutes.

“Our police force entered Kg Tanduo to tighten the cordon around the areas after a recce mission a few days ago.

“This morning (Friday), we re-entered the cordon area and our personnel encountered a group of the intruders.

“They fired at our personnel and our forces had to return fire,” he said, adding that police had yet to ascertain who among the Sulu group were killed or injured as the bodies of the dead Sulu gunmen were still on site in Tanduo.

Asked if any local villager still with the group was hit, he said police could not ascertain the matter.

“We have tightened our (sea and land) cordon around the Felda Sahabat scheme and the intruders are now cornered within a smaller area,” he said, adding that police did not believe anyone had escaped the cordon.

Denying claims that gunfire and sniping was continuing, he said none of the Sulu intruders had surrendered.

Asked about reports that armed groups from southern Philippines were trying to enter Sabah waters to back Azzimudie’s group, Hamza said: “We have checked and found the reports to be untrue. Our security at the sea border is tight and our operations are continuing.”

Yesterday’s skirmish was the first direct firefight after a 17-day standoff. However, security forces had a close encounter with the Sulu group on Wednesday when they threatened six of the GOF personnel near the cordon around the village.

Hamza said the Government had earlier ordered security forces to discuss and negotiate with the Sulu intruders to surrender.

“But these intruders were stubborn. This placed the police in a position where there was little else we could do.

“From the early stages, we talked to them and even provided them food but they remained stubborn. We were put in a position where we had to react,” said Hamza.

Although the negotiations dragged on, the Government had patiently kept its resolve to end the standoff without bloodshed but Azzimudie remained defiant, claiming that he would only take orders from his brother Sultan Jamalul Kiram III.

The Sulu group persisted in staying on in Tanduo to press for their so-called ancestral claims on Sabah despite the extension of several deadlines in the hope of a peaceful settlement.

Several killed as Sabah standoff turns into a firefight - Report

Several people have been killed where followers of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III are holed up in Sabah as the Malaysian authorities began the assault in the area on Friday.

A radio report, quoting some relatives of Kiram, including his brother Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram, said there were several fatalities already in the firefight between the Sultan's followers and Malaysian police and military personnel.

The report, however, did not elaborate whether those killed were on the side of Kiram's group or the Malaysian authorities.

It also added that prior to the clash, there were negotiations between Kiram's group and Malaysian authorities for the Sultan's followers to peacefully leave the Malaysian-controlled island of Lahad Datu in Sabah.

Abraham Idjirani, secretary general and spokesman to Sultan Jamalul Kiram, confirmed that Agbimuddin's group were fired at by Malaysian security forces before holding a briefing in Manila.

Idjirani said the Sultanate members led by Agbimuddin Kiram called them up and informed the rising tension at about 6 a.m.

“This morning is a history, the Malaysian security forces started the first shot,” Idjirani said.

Idjirani, however, said that Agbimuddin could not ascertain if the first shot was aimed at their people.

Idjirani said the Raja Muda (crown prince) also informed them earlier that the Malaysian authorities were already approaching the area.

“However, there was bit of respite and it was good that the Malaysian police have withdrawn later, according to Raja Muda,” Idjirani said.

He said the Malaysian forces came as close as 300 meters from where the more than 200 followers of the sultanate were holed up.

The sultanate official also appealed to the Malaysian government to reconsider its action stressing their people holed up in Lahad Datu have no intentions of creating trouble.

“However, if the Malaysian authorities will push for its action then the Sultanate followers there have no recourse but to defend themselves to their last breath,” Idjirani said.

Credit: Philstar.com

Sulu group appears to ease stand

Armed and ready: General Operation Forces patrolling the beach near Tanduo village in Lahad Datu.

TANJUNG LABIAN (LAHAD DATU): The Sulu armed group at Tanduo in Felda Sabahat 17 appears to ease up on their stand to remain in the village and is ready for further negotiations with Malaysian officials.

Group leader Raja Muda Azzimudie Kiram said, however, the negotiations should be through his elder brother, self-proclaimed ruler Sultan Jamalul Kiram III.

In his latest telephone interview with The Star, Azzimudie said: “All negotiations have to go through my brother in Manila. The final line is my brother.”

Asked if this meant he and his group will be returning to the Philippines soon, he said: “Not sure ... it is between the Sultanate of Sulu and the Government of Malaysia. They must negotiate with the Sultan.”

He denied his readiness to reopen negotiations meant he had softened his stance as implied by the Philippines Daily Inquirer, the country's popular broadsheet newspaper.

Jamalul Kiram had reportedly taken a tough stand by rejecting an appeal by President Benigno Aquino to leave Sabah.

“Our demands remain the same. In short, Sabah is owned by the Sultan of Sulu. I will stay here as long as my brother says I must,” added Azzimudie.

Azzimudie, whose son is believed to be among the 180 Sulu patriots holed up at the village, including six women and about 30 gunmen, said they were all fine despite the land and sea blockade by Malaysian security forces, and the Philippines navy standing by in the waters off the Tawi-Tawi islands.

Reports had emerged from Tanduo that the group was living off from whatever was left behind by villagers who fled their homes when the Sulu intruders landed on Feb 9.

The Malaysian security forces are holding their fire as no new orders have come from higher-ups for them to move in to disarm and deport the group.

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib flew to Lahad Datu again to inspect the situation at Felda Sahabat 17, as the standoff drags into its third week.

Meanwhile, Philippines Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said that he had conveyed his government's request to Malaysia to extend the deadline for several more days for the group to leave.

He said that his request for another deadline, already extended three times with the last ending on Tuesday, was to give the Kirams a chance to fully understand Aquino's appeal to them.

He added that he did not specify a time period for the next extension.

Aquino had asked the Sultan to order the group to return or face the consequences under Philippine law.

Manila, hoping for a diplomatic and political solution to the standoff by engaging with the Kiram family, has dispatched Foreign Affairs undersecretary Jose Brillantes to Kuala Lumpur.

Brillantes, who arrived on Tuesday, is working with Ambassador Eduardo Malaya in coordinating a peaceful resolution to the impasse.

Credit: TheStar

Aquino appeals to Sultan to end standoff

President Benigno Aquino said the standoff must end peacefully or they will face the full force of the law. 

MANILA, Philippines: President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday appealed to the sultan of Sulu to help end the standoff at Sabah in a peaceful way or face the full force of the law.

In a press conference in Malacanang aired on radio and television, the president said:

“The right thing to do now is order your followers to return home as soon as possible. The choices and consequences are yours. 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.”

“The point of no return has not been reached yet, but we are approaching that (time) fast”, Aquino read from a prepared statement, referring to an undesirable end to the standoff which started when followers of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III went to Lahad Datu in Sabah in a bid to occupy what they claim is their ancestral land.

“May I remind you as well that as a citizen of the republic, you are bound by the constitution and its laws,” he added.

Among the possible violations, Aquino said was Article 2 Section 2 of the Constitution which provides that “the Philippines renounces war as an instrument of national policy”.

The enabling law of this provision is Article 118 of the Revised Penal Code which punishes those who “provoke or give occasion for a war…or expose Filipino citizens to reprisals on their persons or property.”

The Philippine Inquirer reports Aquino as saying here were 180 people in Lahad Datu, 20 to 30 of who were armed.

As a leader, Aquino told Kiram to exercise his influence among his followers.

“These are your people, it behooves you to recall them. It must be clear to you that this small group of people will not succeed in addressing your grievances and that there is no way that force can achieve your aims,” Aquino said.

Malaysia has given three extensions for the followers of Kiram to leave the area, with the last deadline set to end today, Tuesday.

Aquino said Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario and Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman have agreed to sit down and resolve the issue.

Once an agreement has been reached, Aquino said a Navy ship would be immediately ready to ferry everyone home.

“There is a humanitarian ship with social workers and medical officers on board nearby to facilitate the peaceful departure of those in Lahad Datu,” Aquino said.

Aquino promised to have a dialogue with the sultan once the group arrives home.

He added that a study was ongoing to determine how strong the country’s claim was.

The last time that the Philippines raised the claim for Sabah was during the 1960s.

Credit: Freemalaysiatoday/Agencies

Navy ship to try to fetch Filipinos in Malaysia

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippines is sending a navy ship to waters off eastern Malaysia to bring back some of about 180 Filipinos who became locked in a standoff with Malaysian authorities after traveling to the area to claim the territory, officials said Sunday. The Filipino group, which includes an armed security team of about 30 men, arrived in Sabah state's coastal district of Lahad Datu about two weeks ago, claiming Sabah belongs to their royal clan based in the southern Philippine province of Sulu.

Malaysian authorities regard them as armed intruders and have attempted to persuade them to leave peacefully, initially giving a deadline of Friday. The deadline has been extended to Tuesday, a Malaysian official said.

Philippine and Malaysian authorities have said the group's demands should be addressed through diplomatic channels.

The Philippine ship will be prepositioned off Lahad Datu while talks to persuade the Filipinos to return home continue, the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila said. It said it notified Malaysia on Saturday of the deployment of the ship, which will carry an entourage including social workers and medical personnel.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said the navy ship was on a humanitarian mission to try to pick up five women and some of the other group members. "We urge them to board the ship without delay and return home," he said.

Del Rosario also repeated a plea for the entire group to return home to their families in the southern Philippines while "we are addressing the core issues they have raised."

"Please do so for your own safety," he said.

Malaysian police have not said what kind of weapons the Filpinos possess. Details from the remote area, about 500 kilometers (300 miles) from Sabah's capital city, have been scarce.

Security along Malaysia's sea border with the Philippines has been problematic for Sabah, where tens of thousands of impoverished Filipinos have tried to migrate over the past few decades.

In 2000, Muslim extremists from the southern Philippines slipped twice into Sabah and abducted people for ransom, including European tourists and Malaysian workers from a diving resort.

One of the most recent kidnappings involved two Malaysians snatched from a plantation in Lahad Datu in November. They were believed to have been taken to the southern Philippines.

Credit: Philstar.com

WHAT WENT BEFORE: Sultan of Sulu’s 9 principal heirs

MANILA, Philippines—In 1939, a decision issued by the high court of North Borneo named the nine principal heirs of the last sultan of Sulu, whose descendants had been pressing their claim to Sabah.

Known as the 1939 Macaskie Judgment, the nine principal heirs of Sultan Jamalul Kiram II were Datu Punjungan Kiram, Datu Esmail Kiram, Dayang Dayang Piandao Kiram, Dayang Dayang Sitti Rada Kiram, Princess Tarhata Kiram, Princess Sakinur-In Kiram, Dayang Dayang Putli Jahara Kiram, Dayang Dayang Sitti Mariam Kiram and Mora Napsa.

Jamalul II’s father, Sultan Jamalul Ahlam, leased Sabah in 1878 to British North Borneo Co. Under the agreement, the company would pay 5,300 Mexican gold pieces a year to the Kingdom of Sulu. It continued to do so until 1936, when Jamalul II died.

According to Ahlam’s descendants, Sabah (formerly North Borneo) was ceded in 1704 to the sultan of Sulu by the sultan of Brunei, after the sultan of Sulu helped quell a rebellion against the sultan of Brunei.

After Jamalul II’s death, the British consul in Manila recommended the suspension of payments because President Manuel L. Quezon did not recognize Jamalul II’s successor.

Sultan Punjungan Kiram, crown prince of the sultanate at the time of Jamalul II’s death, went to the British consulate in Manila to demand the resumption of payments.

P77,000 rent

After the court decision, British North Borneo Co. complied for several years. It stopped paying when its rights to Sabah were transferred to the newly established Federation of Malaysia in 1963. The new government assumed the payment but in ringgit.

Every year, the Malaysian Embassy in the Philippines issues a check in the amount of 5,300 ringgit (about P77,000) to the legal counsel of Jamalul Ahlam’s descendants. Malaysia considers the amount an annual “cession” payment for the disputed state, while the sultan’s descendants consider it “rent.”

According to Abraham Julpa Idjirani, secretary general and spokesperson of the sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo, the direct descendants and heirs of the sultan of Sulu and North Borneo at present are Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, Sultan Bantilan Esmail Kiram III, Datu Alianapia Kiram, Datu Phugdal Kiram, Datu Baduruddin Kiram and the crown prince, Agbimuddin Kiram, official administrator of Sabah and son of Datu Punjungan.

Lies

In July 2008, there were reports that Jamalul II’s heirs had “dropped” their Sabah claim, but these were dismissed as untrue by the heirs. In the reports, Malaysian Datu Omar Ali Datu Backtiyal told a local newspaper in Malaysia that he had obtained the signatures of the nine heirs for the relinquishment of their claim to Sabah. The heirs dismissed the reports as “lies.”

Over the years, Jamalul II’s heirs have tried to get the attention of authorities by writing to them, but to no avail.

In February 1999, the late Princess Denchurain Kiram, daughter of Princess Tarhata, wrote then Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad through former President Joseph Estrada to request for an increase in the annual rental. She died in September 2000 without receiving a reply.

No reply to letters

In January 2001, Sultan Esmail Kiram II and Princess Taj Mahal Kiram Tarsum-Nuqui, daughter of Princess Denchurain, wrote a similar letter to Mahathir through former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

In August 2003, the heirs sent Arroyo another letter asking for help in requesting the Malaysian government to increase the rent, but nothing happened.

In February 2005 the heirs wrote another letter to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, but were likewise ignored. Inquirer Research

Source: Inquirer Archives/Philippine Daily Inquirer