‘Duterte’s peace efforts in Mindanao good for Sabah’

Manukan Island in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Photo by Don Lejano/INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

KOTA KINABALU — Sabah’s hope for peace in war-torn southern Philippines may be seeing light with newly elected President Rodrigo Duterte trying to push his plan with the two major separatist Moro groups.

Duterte has voiced his readiness to meet the demands of Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founder Nur Misuari and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which is led by Al Haj Ebrahim Murad.

“Such a move will bring stability to southern Philippines and stop the spillover effects, raging from security to social problems, faced by Sabah over the decades,” said Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) academician Dr. Zaini Othman.

Dr. Zaini, who is head of Strategic Security Research Center at UMS, said Duterte seemed to be making a tactical move by being inclusive.

“I personally view the moves made by Duterte as a very ‘strategic approach’ in bringing all the southern actors into the mainstream system of negotiation process,” he said.

Such a move, said Dr. Zaini, would ensure that all players would get a share of the “cake,” adding that this was a practical move towards establishing a more viable peace environment in the southern Philippines.

Earlier this week, Duterte indicated that he wanted the MILF comprehensive peace deal – brokered by Malaysia but blocked by the Philippine Congress – to be realized while he was prepared to let MNLF have its way in Sulu.

An influential figure, Misuari – a former governor of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao and now a fugitive after allegedly leading an attack on Zamboanga City in 2013 – has been unhappy with Malaysia for sending him back to Manila after he fled the Philippines for instigating a war in November 2001.

Asked if Misuari could remain a threat towards Malaysia after a peace scenario was put into place, Dr Zaini replied:

“As long as his (Misuari) interests are being taken care of and he is not left out from the mainstream of southern Philippines politics, I don’t think he will pose a threat to Malaysia.”

Dr. Zaini said it was now important for Malaysia to cleverly and smartly read the sociological picture involving various feudal elements or war lords should the peace process materialise.

On the Abu Sayyaf group, Dr. Zaini said it had been using kidnapping activities as its main source of income although he felt that for lasting peace and development in Mindanao, Duterte should look at it seriously.

Duterte has ruled out talking peace with the Abu Sayyaf terror group.

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