KUALA LUMPUR: The ongoing siege by a Philippines tribal leader over a piece of Malaysian land he claims to be part of an older sultanate has threatened to lead the countries toward frustration as tension rose earlier this week. Although it has calmed slightly, there are still concerns that the situation between the two Southeast Asian countries could ramp up if the dispute is not dealt with in the near future. Philippine President Benigno Aquino III urged a Muslim clan leader from the southern Philippines to withdraw his supporters from Malaysian territory, which the supporters claim as part as the old Sultanate of Sulu. Around 180 followers of Jamalul Kiram III, one of several people claiming to be the Sultan of Sulu, sailed from the southern Philippines on Feb. 12 to press their claim to the Malaysian state of Sabah, catching both Philippine and Malaysian authorities by surprise. Malaysian forces have surrounded the group at a coastal village in the Lahad Datu district in an increasingly tense stand-off. President Aquino warned Tuesday of a rising danger of clashes with Malaysian security forces. So far, the self-styled Royal Sulu Armed Forces have insisted they will remain to press their century-old case for sovereignty of the area. Filipino workers in Malaysia told Bikyanews.com that they believe the idea is “stupid and shouldn't have gotten this far.” One man, Luis, said that “if this were really a serious claim and not some random crazy person, he would have been removed, but it is a crazy person who is trying to lead the countries to anger each other.” Filipino and Malaysia diplomats have agreed to try to resolve the stand-off peacefully, and Aquino said the Philippine navy has taken steps to prevent more of the clan's followers arriving in Sabah. The Philippines also sent a navy ship over the weekend to the waters off Sabah, carrying Muslim clerics and medical personnel to help evacuate the Filipinos who joined the expedition to Sabah. The siege threatens to ruffle relations between Malaysia and the Philippines, and Filipino officials worry that the incursion could also destabilize a fragile peace process now under way in strife-torn Muslim areas of the predominantly Christian Philippines. BN
