TAMPIN: Malaysia will use its expertise in combating communist insurgency and similar threats to crush the militants responsible for the incursion of east coast Sabah.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the tactics were needed as the country was not facing an open warfare but militants who deploy guerilla strategy.
“Nur Misuari is using some of his former Moro National Liberation Front leaders (MNLF) and splinter groups from MNLF militant unit Abu Sayyaf to organise the incursion.
“These are the same groups that had caused trouble to the Philippines government in the past 40 years and so, it will not be easy to combat them. However, I am confident that the tactics and experience we had in tackling guerilla groups in the past will give us the edge to overcome these militants,” he said at a buka puasa function at the Tamping police head quarterse with the ministry’s agencies in Negri Sembilan yesterday.
Zahid said the tactics were among the seven actions to be implemented in Esszone as announced by Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar yesterday.
However, he did not dwell into detail for fear that the information would be used by the militants.
“What I can say is that the support of Sabahans is needed to make the tactics effective.”
Zahid, who was a former defence minister, said police and military intelligence has confirmed Nur Misuari’s involve ment in all the kidnappings and attacks in Sabah.
“I have asked the Philippines to assist in locating Misuari but it may prove to be difficult as the government there has been having problems with these groups for the past 40 years,” he said.
Zahid said he had also asked the Philippines defence minister for elp in combating the militants.
Yesterday, Zahid also presented birth certificates and identity cards to the nine siblings of the late Muhamad Hafiz Abd Ghani, 17, who was beaten to death by his 52-year-old father in an argument in Kampung Jawa, Alor Gajah, Malacca, on July 6.
Muhamad Hafiz was hit with a piece of wood when he expressed his intetion to work to support the family.
Checks by the authorites later revealed that all 10 siblings did not have birth certificates or MyKad.
At the same function, Malaysian Senators’ Council (MSC) president Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Abdul Rahman also presented a RM15,000 cheque to the widow of Corporal Abd Rajah Jamuan, 32, who was killed by gunmen believed to be from Southern Philippines in Mabul, Sabah.
Zahid accepted the cheque on behalf of the family.
Also present were Khalid, Home Ministry secretary-gen eral Datuk Seri Mohamad Khalid Shariff, National Reg istration Department director-general Datuk Sulaiman Ke ling and Negri Sembilan police chief Datuk Osman Salleh.
-NST
