By Jahabar Sadiq
Editor
The Malaysian Insider
Mar 04, 2013
COMMENTARY March 4 — There comes a time when Malaysians must unite and fight a common enemy, not bicker and blame each other over what is going wrong. That time is now for Sabah.
We need to support our policemen and troops facing Filipino militants who wish to lay claim over a land whose people decided to form Malaysia 50 years ago with Malaya and Sarawak.
We need to make sure the sacrifice of eight fallen policemen was not in vain, that their widows and children know their husband or father’s death has helped keep Malaysia intact and free.
We need to see what our priorities are now, to end the bloodshed and standoff in Sabah with Filipino militants who have broken our territorial integrity and laws.
We need to get our peace and security back. We stand united or we fall divided. Pure and simple.
The time for investigating what went wrong with our defence of Sabah will come. The time for apportioning blame and reveal the traitors will come.
Right now, we need our politicians to stop blaming each other and accusing each other of instigating this incursion. Such talk is not constructive and will not help our security forces do their job.
This is not the time for politics, and the less we hear from people like Special Affairs Department (Jasa) director-general Datuk Fuad Hassan the better. We don’t need him to tell us what to do and be patriotic.
We are Malaysians, we are patriotic and 100 per cent in support of our security forces in facing the threat of these Filipino militants.
We need to listen to people like Jasica Ahmad who tweeted from her account @jasicaahmad, saying “sulu hashtag is scary… i prefer #prayforsabah more positivity and prayer than talking about politic and do nothing.”
Or for example, 12th Kopites1982® who said in his @ElHazizyKopites Twitter account: “It matter not by which flag you stand up for, what matter is ‘Ini Rumah Kita’ #PrayForSabah #UniteAndFight”.
Azrul Hafiz also made it clear in his @azrulhfiz Twitter account, saying “just stop wih political issues and keep pray for our nation #PrayForLahadDatu #PrayForSabah”.
Right now, the Ministry of Defence is sending two battalions of soldiers as fast as possible to double the strength of security forces in Sabah. Budget carrier AirAsia is helping to send the troops there.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has vowed to stay there with his top brass and policemen until the situation is resolved. And Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has said the time for talk is over, it is time for action.
Malaysia has been patient enough. Our policemen and soldiers are at the forefront of an unexpected war with Filipino militants and locals who appear to owe their allegiance to the Sulu sultan and not our Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
A squad of 25 policemen went to investigate suspicious activity in Kampung Simunul in Semporna but only 19 came back alive after being rescued from an ambush on Saturday while six others died.
Two other policemen had died in Lahad Datu on Friday. That is eight deaths too much for a peaceful country like Malaysia and a beautiful state like Sabah.
So let’s get with the programme. Take action first, expel the militants or capture them to face the wrath of Malaysian law.
Only then we can have a review and inquest over what went wrong in Sabah. Not now. Now is the time to unite and fight back our enemies.
Najib and Home Minister should sound off and plead for Malaysians unity ….to protect the country and people.
They must leave politics aside.
Instead ….both are finger pointing at Anwar.
These are disgusting…politicians.
Stand down ; Gov cannot negotiate with terrorist , learn from Bush
After this thing is over, the political fight will happen – as the Chinese say, which cat will not eat fish?
Truth is the fact that the fight has started and the out-manouvering has started is reflection of the deep division within our society and especially our political class. How much each political side will go to out-manouver the other side is a measure of how detached from the rakyat and willing to manipulate the rakyat for their own interest.
The bright side of it is that it seems both side are aware that they are being watched on their political depravity. The rakyat is not as divided as the most cynics think they are. But its already clear that we can expect a very good political prize-fight that will play out in all the towns and kampungs in Sabah and elsewhere
Haven’t the author of this piece read that
UMNO/BN lost no time in hanging this
latest debacle which was caused by
them, onto PR?
Even the MSM was saying that Manila
will investigate the Malaysian opposition
for instigating this latest episode?
When dealing with UMNO/BN, one must
always remember that one is not dealing
with sane beings!
Perhaps they are driven insane by the
fact that their misdeeds and crimes are
fast catching up with them!
Expel the militants, the author said. How? There are now 800,000 filipinos in sabah. How many of them are members of the militant group who recently intruded into lahad? And what about sympathisers amoungst them? If 5% of that them are militants and or symphatisers, then potentially kerismuddin bin lembuddin would have to deal with (wot?) 40,000 true enemies of the state. This is one hell of problem, keris. One hell of problem umno and you too jib. And lets us not forget the root cause of the problem: monsterO’mamak – the real monster!
Army rushing reinforcements to help police deal with latest landings – MSM
So, looks like the cancer is spreading!
Perhaps, they may even have sleeper cells among the thousands of illegals who were given citizenship by the very Malaysian government that they are trying to displace!
Unite to fight a common enemy? Unite under umno? NEVER!! Umno, too, is an enemy – just like the armed intruders. The latter are enemies from abroad and umno is our enemy within.
Dr M has divided the citizens of this multiracial country. He is now aligned with Perkasa- a racist group(majority are UMNO memebers). Dr M and BN government following his discriminatory policy should be uprooted in this multiracial country….so that the country can be united and prosper.
In fact we should learn the concept of egalitarianism: the egalitarianism[10] which affirms, promotes, or characterizes a principled belief in the equality of all people in the political, economic, social, and civil rights aspects regardless of differences in religion, race, ethnic origin, age, and gender.”[11][12]
Quoted from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moro_National_Liberation_Front
Mamak kutty should be send there..being the this country’s enemy..take the place of the policemen, then he will know when to shut his shi..t mouth.. Cowgirl, perkasa should now go there..
True. Condemn some silly pakatan leader “smile” in the FMT interview. You should remember how anger of Hong Kong when Philippines president “smile” when comment on manila bus hostile incident 2010.
Strongly demands unconditional apologize!
Dis is it: UNITE n b patriotic!
UNITE under UmnoB/BN! Sweet words 2 NR, MMK, n UmnoB/BN
MMK happi 2 continue with blue IC project, all working according 2 plan/plot
What Mahathir said about the Lahad Datu incidents
///BAGAN SERAI, March 3 — It is time to take drastic action against the Filipino armed men after their intrusion turned deadly in Lahad Datu and Semporna, Sabah, said former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
“There is no way out other than launching a counter-attack to eliminate the Sulu group.
“Although many of them will be killed, this cannot be avoided because they had attacked Sabah, and not the other way round,” he told reporters after addressing a gathering organised by the Perak branch of Perkasa, a Malay right group, here today.///–MalaysianInsider, http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/no-way-out-for-intruders-says-tun-dr-mahathir/
Najib, you have been playing for time by saying that you needed to investigate who were behind the current incidents in Sabah. Your boss has spoken, and it seems clear that you can follow order and act accordingly now, rightly or wrongly.
///However, Mahathir cautioned the authorities to be prepared for retaliations from remnants of the group after they were decimated or got rid of Sabah.
He said the Royal Malaysian Navy needed to tighten its surveillance on Sabah waters and check on boats from Tawi-Tawi and Jolo islands that could be smuggling in intruders or arms.///–MI
It seems that our police and the Defence Department are employed to reduce employment without clear-cut functions, responsibility or authority. Shouldn’t it be the responsibility of our armed forces, police and the Immigration Department to ensure that our borders are secured? Oh, there was a time where illegal visitors were given instant citizenships, and the officials might be confused when to apply the official rules, and when to allow illegal visitors to become instant Malaysians.
///”We cannot underestimate them, even though at first we think that their attempt to capture Sabah is a futile act, but they can become guerrillas and launch sporadic attacks in future,” he said. ///–MI
That is why project M in the citizenship-for votes scam is an act of treason.
///On adverse reaction over the government’s decision to allow the police to move in first, instead of the armed forces, Dr Mahathir said the country’s security threats were based on whether they were internal or external threats.
“External threats are handled by the armed forces while internal threats are dealt with by the police.
“At first we did not think the intrusion was as an external threat for they were on our shore. However, when it is clear that the invasion is an attack from outside, the military was ordered to move in,” he added. ///–MI
It should be clear to everybody that a claim for territorial rights must have come from outside. The government was hesitant thinking that these people only came in to help themselves to Malaysian citizenship, and thus they could be internal problem. After all Mamakthir would claim that they have a right to citizenship after having come into the country, for rest perhaps.
///On claims that the government appeared to be soft in dealing with the intruders, he said the government did not want to kill them because they also have families and friends in Sabah.///–MI
Sabah has been part of Malaysia for fifty years. If there was no free movement of people from the Philippines into Sabah, covertly allowed by BN government, the young intruders cannot have any near relatives, families and friends in Sabah in large number to warrant that consideration. Quite obviously, Malaysia would not have that concern if it had to deal with Singapore, or Indonesia. So the Project M creates security concerns for Malaysia.
/// “That’s why we acted cautiously at first. After all, they are Muslims, and we are Muslims. We do not want to be hasty, but they acted in bad faith by gunning down two of our policemen. Now, the stalemate can no longer be resolved through negotiation,” he said. ///–MI
The government officials have problems enforcing laws because they had to be certain about the effect of religious belief of the intruders on their action even though the intruders are security risk to the country. Thus, the officers were reluctant to make expeditious decision as religion could become a sensitive matter only the most powerful person could handle. It appears that even Najib could not decide on this, as the intruders are Muslims. Najib now is emboldened because the Ayatollah has spoken.
So, the government waited for Malaysians to make utmost sacrifice before it would act!
///On foreign media reports that intruders made their way to Lahad Datu at an “invitation” of an opposition politician, Dr Mahathir said the politician promised a lot of things for Sabah including giving autonomy if the opposition were to win the next general election. — Bernama
Bernama should have said that Najib accused the opposition of having to so with the ‘invitation’ which got reported in foreign media. It appears that Najib made that accusation on his own, without consulting Mamakthir.
Now that BLOOOD has flown in Sabah, it is NOT the END but the BEGINNING of Trouble (uppercase T) 4 a long time 2 come
There will b NO winner or loser, just ppl SUFFERing pain over unnecessary LOSS of lives (now n more 2 come)
Hopefully things won’t degenerate 2 bombs here bombs there by diehard suicide bombers, like what is happening in many regions under unending, unresolvable dispute
We are M’sians and now is the time to stand behind the current Govt to ensure that this problem is being sorted out immediately with no more casualties. Finger pointing can be done later after it has been sorted out.
Common ENEMY – ?! Sure meh?
Did they enter Sabah as abang adik under Projek M 2 collect their blue IC? Got immigration record or not?
Fight a common enemy?
But Najib instructed investigation, who ‘invited’ these army into Lahad Datu.
As if, someone ‘prepared’ the red carpet for the grant entrance of these ‘muslim rebels brothers’? without their sampans can be detected.
As if, someone has supplied arms, finance, to these MLIF brothers all these while and established the ‘brotherhood’.
As if, someone had given them blue IC, for them to be malaysian, hence, these intruder ‘brothers’ called it ‘civil war’ now.
As if, someone had asked the home ministry to take care of this instead of Defense Ministry, so to courteous the invitation.
These are what it takes, if word ‘invitation’ to be used in such allegation.
And, all these can not be done by opposition, that constantly, disrupted by mobs even during their ‘ceramah’.
So, who this common enemy is ? and how to fight them?
The crisis was handled badly by Najib and its government. It was very sad that we have to lost so many policemen. Many of them are not use in a combat situation. The government should have sent in the army when in the first hours and monitor the situation. BN government has make a blunder out of this crisis. Najib will pay dearly in the coming GE. He was not decisive and has handed the crisis badly.
The crisis probably warrant a Pakatan to stage ‘half mast flag’ to mark the nation sovereignty was systemically challenged, ended up with lost of Malaysian lives.
That is our common enemy no. 1.
It needs PR to call for unity and fight common enemies….and no respond from Najib.
It is a dream come true for Najib with a spark of hope…where Emergency Rule.
He is focusing to pin Anwar to the conflict.
He does not care about the Malaysians died …defending the country and people.
And the way Mahathir spoke….he is do doubt..governing the country…behind the curtain…..all along…talking about his regrets..his mistakes and keep bullshitting….indirectly supporting an Emergency Rule.
PR have weathered off all sorts of unfounded accusation….and surely will prove BN wrong again…as TRUTHS always win.
Lets pray the situation in under control…..and no more deaths.
I have never seen any country where the Govt. does not welcome a united front to fight common enemies….unless the said enemies are doing a job that pleases them…all for votes….or a very very corrupted Govt. that must win 13th GE at all cost…..or no GE at all.
Please can any one point out who is the enemy here..mamak kutty or thiefs from Sulu….f course mamak kutty.. the biggest of them all..ic traitor…..
Those good for nothing so called defence fat bums and the BN politicians are still pussyfooting the whole drama while the country bleeds. They are so good at attacking the rakyat while they demonstrated but they behave like mice when they face 100 odd terrorists at their home soil. What a let down and a big disgrace to the whole world. Other countries will blow these terrorists to smitherens IRRESPECTIVE. No qualms or regrets.
HELLOOO ! PATRIOTIC IS NOT WHAT MaMak Kutty & Asso. cares one bit when these TRAITORS freely recruited ILLEGALS “Malaysian” for votes to retain power ! COMPOUNDED, THEY DIAM, DIAM AND STILL TRY TO SWEPT UNDER THE CARPET, MORE THEY DO NOT GIVE A DAMN AS LONG AS THEY CAN RETAIN POWER !!! ON TOP NOW EACH OF THEM FILTHY RICH AND CAN CABUT, THINK THEY CARE TO DEFEND THIS NATION !
THIS IS NOT ABOUT POLITICISED , IS MORE ON ACCOUNTABILITY AND FACE THE RULE OF LAW – WHICH ALSO BEEN COMPROMISED SINCE MMKutty regime days.
HOW TO EXPECT THE RAKYAT’S TRUST AFTER THIS ! NO, ALL THIS WHILE THEIR STRATEGY HAS BEEN ONLY TO HOODWINK THE RAKYAT !
BY THE LOOK OF IT , IS MMKutty’s SOP ( the brain behind). When MMKutty able to give vivid account is WHEN HE HAS ALL IN PLAN ALREADY. ( A PLOT WITHIN A PLOT ). LIFE BEING SACRIFICE DUE TO THESE PEOPLE OWN INTEREST IN THE FIRST PLACE, ALL DUE TO AH-C-4 ( MMKutty the ONE ! behind )
The problem with Najib is that he tries to treat the Sabah question like he is treating Malaysians as nincompoops in the wake of GE13 by target-buying of the electorate with money and physical goods. Instead of dealing the problem with urgency he is trying to be popular in his electioneering rounds dishing goodies all around the country. Beware of Greek bearing gifts. This type of reasoning “lu tolong gwa, gwa tolong lu” of a clueless leader has resulted in a crisis.
If anyone that should be blamed for not taking the long-term consequences of the Project IC scandal, it should be the BN administration, starting with Mahathir up to Najib himself who should answer firstly to Sabahans and then to Malaysians. Many of us have predicted that such a problem would arise from a decade ago. Now it is estimated that Sabah’s population comprises one-third of these potential trojan horses brought in by Mahathir to bolster his stranglehold on power. Never once did he thought that it would not only harm Sabah but also Malaysia as well. In this world of terrorism there is no knowing what desperate people can do to target the country’s infrastructure with very cheap means.
The GE13 is drawing nigh and the only way for the people to punish the traitorous BN is to send it to the Opposition bench. And the mastermind behind the Project IC should be stripped of all his titles and ill-gotten wealth and sent to the gallows for life. This must be done in order for closure to such despicable action or else Malaysia will continue to suffer further indignities.
why only police? where are Msia army? what are they doing??
Navy, Air forces, Land forces? where are you??
real disappointed !!
why be nice to Sulu rascal? Sink their perahu (boats) before they came near Sabah coast, the rascals only know violent, so show them Malaysia true forces! Bomb their boats ! from helicopters or whatever!
sulu sultanate became part of boleh empire. great.
Only God knows how many of them are already in Sabah when they can enter Malaysia so easily without being detected, first in Lahad Datu, then in Semporna.
Many of them could have entered earlier and just waiting to strike, legal ones (those generously given Malaysian ICs) and the rest entered illegally.
Kek kek kek kek kek, don’t know whether Yingluck the charming Thai PM still want Malaysia to help her is in resolving her Southern Thailand problems.
U may ask him “Are you chicken?” to those in charge
Like 1st PM someone now may use same tactics topple PM
Anyone know?
just delete then.
Foremost these eight (8) lifes lost were they due to NEGLIGENCE BY THE GOVERNMENT. OR, RATHER NR+KRIS SINCE THEY ARE IN CHARGE ! IS A STANDOFF NOT IN COMBAT AND IN OUR TERRITORY ! THESE ARE MALAYSIANS FIRST AND EVEN ONE LIFE LOST IS FORESAKEN. THESE EIGHT PEOPLE WERE IN NATIONAL DUTY UNDER COMMAND AND IT IS DUE TO NEGLIGENCE !!! – MUST BE INVESTIGATED !