Kiram to seek audience with visiting Brunei sultan
Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III will seek an audience with visiting Brunei Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah and ask the leader's help in ending the ongoing row in Sabah.
Bolkiah is scheduled to visit the Philippines next week.
A report by dzBB radio's Manny Vargas said the Sulu Sultanate is pinning its hope on the visiting sultan's clout to peacefully end the clashes between his followers and Malaysian forces in Sabah.
The report quoted sultanate spokesman Abraham Idjirani as saying Kiram wants a peaceful solution to the problem, which started February when his followers went to Sabah and engaged Malaysian forces in a three-week standoff that ended in deadly clashes March 1 and 2.
On March 5, the Malaysian forces mounted offensives to flush out Kiram's followers from Sabah.
Bolkiah will undertake a state visit to Manila on April 15 to 16, his first visit to Manila since 2009 and the first under the administration of President Benigno Aquino III.
He and Aquino are expected to discuss Brunei’s chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as well as the strengthening of Philippines-Brunei bilateral relations.
"The Philippines and Brunei enjoy close relations. Brunei is a partner to the promotion of just and lasting peace in Southern Philippines as a member of the International Monitoring Team. It is also a host to some 21,000 Filipinos working mostly as skilled workers," the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
It added Aquino held a state visit to Brunei on June 1 and 2, 2011, then visited Brunei again on September 23, 2012 to attend the Royal Wedding and Banquet of Hajah Hafizah Surunul Bolkiah.
Detained Malaysian for links to Kiram applies for release
Meanwhile, a Malaysian "datuk seri" who has been detained for suspected links to followers of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III on Thursday asked a court to release him.
Muhammad Ridhwan Sulaiman filed a habeas corpus application through his wife Nur Rina Abdullah at a high court in George Town, Malaysia's The Star Online reported.
"His detention was unfair and not according to the law. This application is for him to be brought to court and released as he is not guilty under that Act," the report quoted Counsel Datuk C.V. Prabhakaran as saying.
Prabhakaran also insisted Ridhwan was not a terrorist but is a "charitable person."
According to him, the money he sent was to one Sultan Muedzul-lail Tan Kiram and not to Sultan Jamalul Kiram III.
Malaysian police earlier detained Ridzwan shortly after he went to a police station last April 1 – a day after police said they were looking for him.
An earlier report on The Star Online said "Datuk Seri" is a state title conferred to someone who contributed greatly to the nation.
Thursday's report said Ridzwan was recently suspended from his position as president of the Al-Ehsan Islamiah Charity Association Malaysia (Al-Ehsan).
Malaysian authorities have also charged at least 15 Filipino followers of Kiram and one police officer. Of these, eight face possible execution as they were charged with waging war on the King, an offense that carries the death penalty upon conviction. — LBG, GMA News
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