What Mahathir said about the Lahad Datu incidents

///BAGAN SERAI, March 3 — It is time to take drastic action against the Filipino armed men after their intrusion turned deadly in Lahad Datu and Semporna, Sabah, said former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“There is no way out other than launching a counter-attack to eliminate the Sulu group.

“Although many of them will be killed, this cannot be avoided because they had attacked Sabah, and not the other way round,” he told reporters after addressing a gathering organised by the Perak branch of Perkasa, a Malay right group, here today.///–MalaysianInsider, http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/no-way-out-for-intruders-says-tun-dr-mahathir/

Najib, you have been playing for time by saying that you needed to investigate who were behind the current incidents in Sabah. Your boss has spoken, and it seems clear that you can follow order and act accordingly now, rightly or wrongly.

///However, Mahathir cautioned the authorities to be prepared for retaliations from remnants of the group after they were decimated or got rid of Sabah.

He said the Royal Malaysian Navy needed to tighten its surveillance on Sabah waters and check on boats from Tawi-Tawi and Jolo islands that could be smuggling in intruders or arms.///–MI

It seems that our police and the Defence Department are employed to reduce employment without clear-cut functions, responsibility or authority. Shouldn’t it be the responsibility of our armed forces, police and the Immigration Department to ensure that our borders are secured? Oh, there was a time where illegal visitors were given instant citizenships, and the officials might be confused when to apply the official rules, and when to allow illegal visitors to become instant Malaysians.

///”We cannot underestimate them, even though at first we think that their attempt to capture Sabah is a futile act, but they can become guerrillas and launch sporadic attacks in future,” he said. ///–MI

That is why project M in the citizenship-for votes scam is an act of treason.

///On adverse reaction over the government’s decision to allow the police to move in first, instead of the armed forces, Dr Mahathir said the country’s security threats were based on whether they were internal or external threats.

“External threats are handled by the armed forces while internal threats are dealt with by the police.

“At first we did not think the intrusion was as an external threat for they were on our shore. However, when it is clear that the invasion is an attack from outside, the military was ordered to move in,” he added. ///–MI

It should be clear to everybody that a claim for territorial rights must have come from outside. The government was hesitant thinking that these people only came in to help themselves to Malaysian citizenship, and thus they could be internal problem. After all Mamakthir would claim that they have a right to citizenship after having come into the country, for rest perhaps.

///On claims that the government appeared to be soft in dealing with the intruders, he said the government did not want to kill them because they also have families and friends in Sabah.///–MI

Sabah has been part of Malaysia for fifty years. If there was no free movement of people from the Philippines into Sabah, covertly allowed by BN government, the young intruders cannot have any near relatives, families and friends in Sabah in large number to warrant that consideration. Quite obviously, Malaysia would not have that concern if it had to deal with Singapore, or Indonesia. So the Project M creates security concerns for Malaysia.

/// “That’s why we acted cautiously at first. After all, they are Muslims, and we are Muslims. We do not want to be hasty, but they acted in bad faith by gunning down two of our policemen. Now, the stalemate can no longer be resolved through negotiation,” he said. ///–MI

The government officials have problems enforcing laws because they had to be certain about the effect of religious belief of the intruders on their action even though the intruders are security risk to the country. Thus, the officers were reluctant to make expeditious decision as religion could become a sensitive matter only the most powerful person could handle. It appears that even Najib could not decide on this, as the intruders are Muslims. Najib now is emboldened because the Ayatollah has spoken.

So, the government waited for Malaysians to make utmost sacrifice before it would act!

///On foreign media reports that intruders made their way to Lahad Datu at an “invitation” of an opposition politician, Dr Mahathir said the politician promised a lot of things for Sabah including giving autonomy if the opposition were to win the next general election. — Bernama

Bernama should have said that Najib accused the opposition of having to so with the ‘invitation’ which got reported in foreign media. It appears that Najib made that accusation on his own, without consulting Mamakthir.