Armed conflicts in Mindanao: Influenced by Malaysia to keep Sabah

All the events involving armed conflicts in Mindanao from 1968, 1969 and specifically in the early 70s until today between the Govt forces and Muslim rebel groups were triggered by the one standing unresolved issue between the Republic of the Philippines and Peninsular Malaysia: Sovereignty rights over Sabah or the Manila Accord. These 'events' have been "influenced" by Malaysia. 

- Malaysia commenced "influencing events" in Southern Mindanao immediately after the discovery of a plan by the Republic to take control of Sabah in 1968

- Malaysia's Tunku Abdul Razak (father of current Malaysia Prime Minister Najib) was the first PM to pour money into Muslim secessionist rebels who at the time were led by Nur Misuari (first chair of MNLF) and seconded by Hashim Salamat (founder of MILF)

- Malaysia's PM Mahathir as soon as he took over continued the exercise and improved Tunku Abdul Razak's modus operandi by modernising the Malaysian armed forces. He then poured resources after resources into and "enlarged" Muslim secessionist training camps in Sabah. Mahathir devoted a great deal of effort in the Islamisation of Sabah by allowing the influx of Muslims from all over the region and granting them Malaysia citizenship in exchange for their votes so that Barisan Nasional (his party) would remain in power. He was responsible for the nationalisation of the oil resources of Sabah and created PETRONAS that would control the industry.

- When FVR's Govt, finally concluded a peace deal with the MNLF in 1996 with the backing of the OIC, Malaysia realised that their attempts to sow trouble in Southern Mindanao through the MNLF of which they were patrons might be endangered. The MILF shunned the 1996 Peace Agreement. Mahathir trained his efforts on the break-away faction headed by Hashim Salamat aka MILF and funded and supported the rebel group.

- In 1998, President Estrada who had just been elected to the presidency, who was despised by Mahathir, decided to launch an offensive against the MILF after intel revealed that the MILF, fully armed with weapons from Malaysia (including missile systems that Mahathir had ordered earlier on) was gearing up for a full scale offensive against government military bases in the South. The AFP won.

- In 1999, the Sipadan hostage crisis took place. Sipadan is a Malaysian resort island. The hostage crisis began the long descent to hell of Estrada.

- In 2004, Gloria Macapagal accepted MILF's demand that Malaysia be the head of the monitoring team to supervise a Framework Agreement. Malaysian troops began to arrive in Southern Mindanao.

- Shortly thereafter, Senator Nene Pimentel questioned the wisdom of calling on Malaysia to oversee the proposed "peace talks" with the MILF invoking the fact that PH has a standing unresolved issue over Sabah

- In 2012, President Aquino handed over to Najib the signed "Talking points" for shared sovereignty between GPH and MILF

- In 2013, Sultanate of Sulu launched siege in Tanduo, Sabah in a bid to re-take Sabah; many Tausugs died; in September, MNLF decided to rally against the planned signing of the Malaysia-inspired wealth sharing agreement between GPH and MILF which is scheduled on 16 September, on the 50th anniversary of the illegal annexation of Sabah to the created Malaysia Federation.

The bottom line is that Malaysia has always put one over GPH in their bid to ensure that PH will never be able to turn around to re-claim Sabah.

Setting the record straight: Malaysian armies were very backward in the 70s; did not have the capability to train the MNLF

Last month, almost to the day, Hadji Acmad Bayam, former chief propagandist of the MNLF, revealed that MNLF forces joined the Kiram fighters in Sabah which would force Malaysian security forces to face 'battle-tested' Libya-trained MNLF forces (and not Malaysian-trained as Manila Bulletin report said -- see 'nota bene'). 

Back in the 70s, the MNLF were onto a secession war with PH thanks to support of Kuala Lumpur politicians who began funding rebellion wars in Midnanao during the time of Tunku Abdul Razak, father of current Malaysia PM Najib Razak). 

NOTA BENE:

It is imperative to understand that Malaysian armies at the time still were very backward and did not have the capability to train the MNLF.

The modernisation of Malaysia's armies, including their training, only kicked in when Prime Minister Mahathir came into the picture. They themselves got delivery of their first really modernised defence kits only in the early 80s.

So we beg to disagree with Manila Bulletin report* which highlighted that MNLF forces were trained by Malaysian armies back in the 70s. THIS IS NOT QUITE RIGHT! The MNLF forces were trained in large part by Libya's forces back in the 70s. 

The Malaysians did fund the MNLF (and later, the MILF), supplied them with weapons cache and allowed them to train in Sabah -- as war against PH by proxy -- but Malaysian military DID NOT TRAIN the MNLF because Malaysian militarydid not have the capability to do that in the late 60s and the early 70s.

In fact, the Malaysian military at that time was so backward that PH military could have defeated them even with one hand tied behind their back back then. 

French secret service back in the 70s provided Ph with intel that Gaddafi forces were training PH Islamic secessionists right in Sabah complete with picture evidence submitted to Malacanang at the time. 

Up to the 90s, French secret service had been submitting reports to successive PH govts in place -- in fact, up to the time of the Estrada Administration -- that Filipino Muslim secessionists had also been training in Afghanistan and that some had fought under the Northern Alliance armies commanded by Ahmad Shah Massoud, the Lion of Panjshir who were then fighting the Soviets. (Massoud was killed by Al Qaeda just before 9/11.)

~~By Defenders of the Philippine Sabah & Spratly Claims 
03 March 2013

* Hereunder is the MANILA BULLETIN REPORT:

Bayam said, "You know, if Mindanao is to Manila, Sabah is to Kuala Lumpur,” said Bayam, explaining that Mindanao and Sabah are the “milking cows” of the Philippines and Malaysia, respectively, for their rich natural resources." 

Malaysian security forces are now facing battle-tested, Malaysian-trained commanders of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), who know Sabah like the palm of their hands. 

Hadji Acmad Bayam, former chief propagandist of the MNLF, revealed this yesterday to the Manila Bulletin, adding that these MNLF forces may have at their disposal a huge arsenal, which they hid deep in Sabah’s rugged terrain when they returned to the Philippines after their rigid training.

~~By Defenders of the Philippine Sabah & Spratly Claims 
03 March 2013

* Hereunder is the MANILA BULLETIN REPORT:

Bayam said, "You know, if Mindanao is to Manila, Sabah is to Kuala Lumpur,” said Bayam, explaining that Mindanao and Sabah are the “milking cows” of the Philippines and Malaysia, respectively, for their rich natural resources." 

Malaysian security forces are now facing battle-tested, Malaysian-trained commanders of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), who know Sabah like the palm of their hands. 

Hadji Acmad Bayam, former chief propagandist of the MNLF, revealed this yesterday to the Manila Bulletin, adding that these MNLF forces may have at their disposal a huge arsenal, which they hid deep in Sabah’s rugged terrain when they returned to the Philippines after their rigid training.

IN PICTURE: BRACING FOR MORE FIGHTING – Malaysian soldiers aboard an armored personnel carrier drive toward the site of the standoff with Filipino gunmen in Tanduo village, Sabah. Malaysia has vowed to beef up security in the area as the death toll increased following new attacks. (AFP)