Malaysia probes alleged abuse vs Kiram ‘supporters’

A protester displays a placard during a rally in front of the Malaysian embassy in Manila on March 13, 2013 over the crackdown by Malaysian security forces against a group of followers of a self-proclaimed Philippine sultan who entered the Malaysian state of Sabah to assert the sultan’s claim over the area. The Philippines Navy said it had detained 35 suspected Filipino militants on March 13 as they sought to sail home from a military offensive against them in the Malaysian state of Sabah. AFP

DIGOS CITY, Philippines—Malaysian Attorney General Abdul Gani Patail announced Saturday that an investigation into the reported abuses by Malaysian security forces in Sabah has started, the Malaysian state news agency Bernama reported.

“If the investigation showed there had indeed been abuses, the persons involved will be charged accordingly,” Bedrnama quoted Abdul Gani as saying in a statement.

He said those complaining of such excesses would be assisted by the Malaysian Bar and the Sabah Law Association.

Abdul Gani said that as of late Friday, the number of persons detained on suspicion of having links to a group of armed men from Sulu who occupied a village in Sabah last month in the name of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III had reached 216.

But he added that he had yet to meet anyone who could support reports in the Philippine press, particularly the Philippine Daily Inquirer, that Malaysian policemen had beaten up Filipinos or killed any of them outside of the fighting with Malaysian security forces.