The peacemaker of Philippines

Najib and Philippine president Benigno Aquino III (on Najib

ONE of the hallmarks of Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s premiership has been his commitment to offer Malaysia’s assistance in the southern Philippine peace process.

In its role as facilitator in the peace talks, Kuala Lumpur has hosted more than 40 rounds of discussions since 2001 between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) armed rebel group.

Malaysia also leads an international team of peace monitors on the ground in the troubled region where the conflict has killed more than 100,000 people and driven more than half a million to Sabah.

Malaysia’s bid to help find peace has paid off. Both sides inked a preliminary agreement on Oct 15, 2012, followed by a comprehensive peace deal on March 27, 2014.

Najib was present to witness the signing of both agreements at Malacanang Palace in Manila, signalling his strong belief in the peace process, said Malaysia’s facilitator in the peace process Datuk Tengku Abdul Ghafar Tengku Mohd.

“Najib’s policy is that by helping to seek lasting peace in the southern Philippines, we can also maintain security and help solve the illegal alien problem in Sabah.

“His position is based on his policy of promoting moderation and countering extremism and radicalism, as he believes that any kind of extremism will be destructive, which we can see not just in the southern Philippines but in southern Thailand as well.”

Tengku Ghafar said that Najib, since taking office as Malaysia’s sixth Prime Minister on April 3, 2009, gave “100% support” to the Malaysian effort to facilitate the peace talks.

“Our Prime Minister monitored all developments very closely. He was always open to us, and he would always listen and be ready to offer any assistance that he could.”

The Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) that was signed in March 2014 paves the way to set up a fully autonomous Bangsamoro region in the southern Philippines. It marked the formal end of negotiations and the start of the implementation phase of the peace process.

The next step after the signing was the drafting of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), which is the constitution for the planned autonomous region.

In January last year, however, rebel fighters clashed with Philippine forces hunting for Malaysian militant Zulkifli Hir alias Marwan and his comrade, leaving 44 elite policemen dead.

The bloody clash which took place in the town of Mamasapano was a “game-changer”. It swung Philippine public opinion against the peace process and led to the BBL not getting through the country’s legislature.

With Philippine president Beningno Aquino’s term of office nearing its end, the peace-process which both sides along with Malaysia had worked so hard to see through has essentially been put on the back burner until July, when a new Philippine president is sworn in.

Has Malaysia’s long effort to help facilitate peace failed?

Tengku Ghafar said the work to date has not been in vain, and that it was vital for both sides to forge ahead.

“We cannot afford to disengage or fallback from the peace process. Failure to pass the BBL means non-implementation of the peace agreement.”

This in turn could create a security vacuum in the southern Philippines which would create hostility and instability, fertile breeding grounds for radicalism.

Tengku Ghafar said one reason Najib believes strongly in extending Malaysia’s help in the peace process is that it would help deradicalise the MILF, the biggest armed group in the southern Philippines with an estimated 12,000 members.

The number of violent incidents in the region fell from about 200 in the year 2000 to almost zero several years later.

Any lengthy lack of progress in the peace process would foment frustration and hatred on the ground, which could radicalise the militants.

Tengku Ghafar said there was now a whole generation of impressionable youths in the region who grew up in a post 9-11 era. With the Internet, they can more easily reach out and be exposed to the ideology of radical groups.

“Many Malaysians still don’t appreciate the importance of our Prime Minister’s policy to promote moderation and counter extremism.

“If we fail to fight extremism we open up southern Philippines to all sorts of violent groups including Jemaah Islamiah and Darul Islam and others.”

With Sabah already known to be a transit point for some of the members of these groups, the potential threat facing Malaysia as well is all too obvious.

“Of course, our Prime Minister would be sad at how the current progress of the roadmap of peace is not smooth. But although there is a pause in the road to peace, his role as the leader of a moderate nation trying to help end the violence will remain very important.”