KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia police have confirmed to Bikyanews.com early on Thursday that they are facing an armed stand-off with militants believed to be from southern Philippines in Borneo. According to police, the militants have been ordered to relinquish their weapons, national police chief Ismail Omar said, adding that “the situation is under control and the public need not worry.” Ismail's statement late on Wednesday did not disclose the number of suspects or how they were armed. Malaysia's national news agency, Bernama, cited unidentified police sources as saying that the intruders comprised more than 100 foreigners wearing military fatigues. It appears the situation is still ongoing and fluid. Malaysia's Sabah state is less than an hour by speedboat from the southern Philippines, which has long been wracked by a Muslim separatist insurgency. Ismail said the group landed in Sabah's largely rural, coastal district of Lahad Datu on Tuesday following “troubles in the southern Philippines.” Other police representatives in Kuala Lumpur and Sabah on Thursday confirmed the intrusion but said they could not elaborate beyond Ismail's statement. BN
