Sabah wants action, Manila told

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is keeping a close eye on the new leadership in Manila that promises to wipe out Abu Sayyaf militants for the numerous cross-border kidnappings.

State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said that a lot has been said and Sabah wants to see the actions taken under the leadership of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

“We have to evaluate their actions, not their words,” he said when contacted yesterday.

Duterte has on several occasions said that his priority was to eliminate the Abu Sayyaf, responsible for the beheading of two abducted Canadians and Malaysian Bernard Thenin Jolo, and other kidnappings these past 15 years.

“We are hoping the security problems will be be solved once and for all,” Masidi said in reference to the militant group, which is linked to al-Qaeda and operates in southern Philippines.

Our agencies under the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) have taken steps to thwart the Abu Sayyaf and other criminals, he said.

He said Sabah had also been forced to suspend barter trade with the southern Philippines due to the cross-border security threats.

This caused the prices of goods on the Philippine side to spike, increasing the hardship faced by the people there.

“The ball is in their court. Our Government has vowed to do its utmost to keep Sabah safe,” Masidi said.

Duterte’s defence secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the kidnappings were affecting the country economically, with Indonesia stopping its boats from sending coal to the Philippines.

The Abu Sayyaf have kidnapped Indonesian sailors on several occasions.