Published: Tuesday March 5, 2013 MYT 3:40:00 PM
Updated: Tuesday March 5, 2013 MYT 5:32:17 PM

Lahad Datu: Suluks in Sabah say they are loyal to Malaysia

By STEPHANIE LEE

KOTA KINABALU: The Suluk community here fully supports the Government's move to end the stand-off between security forces and followers of the self-proclaimed Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III in Kampung Tanduo.

Tawau Suluk Bajau cultural association vice-president Abdul Ali Erilis, Sabah Suluk Ethnic clan association secretary Mohd Zaki Harry Susanto and Ruhil Sailajan representing the Suluks in Sabah came out in support of the Government's action Tuesday to forcibly end the nearly three week stand-off.

"Although we are said to be from the same clan, our country, loyalty and support lies with Malaysia," Mohd Zaki said.

"We fully denounce what the intruders have done and brought to Sabah, they have intruded into our homeland and are very cruel and uncivilised people," he said after paying a courtesy call to Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman on Tuesday.

In Sabah, the community is known as Suluk while in Philippines, they are known as Tausug.

Mohd Zaki said the actions of the intruders were not what a "true Suluk" was like, and none from the over 300,000 Suluks in Sabah should follow in their lead.

Likewise, Ali assured the state government and the people of Sabah that they were not linked in any way with the intruders as claimed by many quarters.

"We will not help them or support them in any way at all. This is our country and we want to maintain the peace and sovereignty," he said.

"We want the intruders out and gone," he said, adding all Suluks in Sabah should come forward and pledge their loyalty to the government.

Earlier on, Musa said the Sabah government was fully behind the Federal government's move to evict the Sulu gunmen who intruded into Lahad Datu and other areas of the east coast.

He said ample time had been given to the intruders to leave to avoid bloodshed but they insisted on staying.

"We will do all we can to ensure the safety of our armed forces and the people," he said.

The operation began at 7am after Prime Minister Najib Razak announced in a statement that it had to be done in order to "defend the dignity and sovereignty of the country".

Meanwhile, Ruhil, who is the president of the Kota Kinabalu handicraft association, hoped other Sabahans know that Malaysian Suluks have drawn the line and do not want to be associated in any way with the intruders.

"All we want is for everything to return to normal as business is also affected from this incident," he said. Related Stories:
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Lahad Datu: Sulu gunmen in Kg Tanduo have been totally defeated, say police sources
Lahad Datu: Aquino's spokesman says all was done to avoid bloodshed in Sabah
Lahad Datu: Groups protest outside Malaysian embassy in Manila
Lahad Datu: Yen Yen: Sabah is safe for tourists
Lahad Datu: House-to-house mopping up operations ongoing, says IGP
Lahad Datu: Incident an intrusion not war; Sulu gunmen to be charged with murder, says Nazri
Lahad Datu: Sulu Sultan's spokesman says Malaysian jets missed Azzimudie Kiram

News

Published: Tuesday March 5, 2013 MYT 3:40:00 PMUpdated: Tuesday March 5, 2013 MYT 5:32:17 PM

Lahad Datu: Suluks in Sabah say they are loyal to Malaysia

By STEPHANIE LEE

Published: Tuesday March 5, 2013 MYT 3:40:00 PM
Updated: Tuesday March 5, 2013 MYT 5:32:17 PM