Cross border attacks in Sabah

(Redirected from Moro invasion of Sabah)

The cross border attacks in Sabah are a series of cross border terrorist attacks perpetrated by Moro pirates from Mindanao, Philippines, in the state of Sabah, Malaysia, that began even before the British colonial period.[60][63] Many civilians have died or suffered during these incidents, causing an increase in anti-Filipino sentiment among the native peoples of Sabah, especially after major attacks in 1985, 2000 and 2013.[64] The attacks were more intense during the presidential terms of Diosdado Macapagal and Ferdinand Marcos, who supported irredentist claims to include eastern Sabah as part of the Philippines territory.[39][61] In addition, recent infiltration and attacks by militants as well as uncontrolled human migration from Mindanao to Sabah has led to more unease sentiments among the local residents of Sabah, with around 78% of prison inmates that were caught in the state due to involvement in criminal activities and lawlessness issues mainly originating from the southern Philippines.[65]

Cross border attacks in Sabah
Part of the Piracy in the Sulu Sea, North Borneo dispute and Moro conflict

Attacks by Moro pirates and militants in Sabah from the 19th century to the present
Date8 December 1962[17] – present
(61 years, 11 months, 3 weeks and 5 days)
Location
Result

Security in mainland Sabah was under control, cross border attacks ongoing;

Belligerents

 Malaysia

 Indonesia[1]
 Vietnam[2]
 Singapore[3]
 Thailand[4]

Supported by

Bangsamoro militia support:
Moro Islamic Liberation Front[10]
Moro National Liberation Front (Mus Sema faction)[11][12]

Former Support:
 Philippines (1986–2016)[13]
Abu Sayyaf (1991–2024)

Philippines (until 1986, 2016–present)
Moro Pirates (1963–present)
 Sulu Sultanate (Jamalul Kiram III faction) (2013–present)

Former Sabah invasion supporter:
Moro National Liberation Front (Misuari faction) (2001–2015)[14][15][16]

Commanders and leaders

Anwar Ibrahim
(Prime Minister of Malaysia)
Mohamed Khaled Nordin
(Minister of Defence)
Hajiji Noor
(Chief Minister of Sabah)
Prabowo Subianto (President of Indonesia)
Murad Ebrahim[29]
Mohagher Iqbal[10]
Muslimin Sema[30]
Former leader

PM full list
Radullan Sahiron (current Emir of Abu Sayyaf)  Surrendered
Abdurajak Janjalani  
Khadaffy Janjalani  
Isnilon Totoni Hapilon  

Bongbong Marcos
(President of Philippines)[36]
Phudgal Kiram[37]
(Raja Muda of the Sulu Sultanate)
Various pirates leader
Jamalul Kiram III #
Agbimuddin Kiram #
Ismael Kiram II[37] #
Former support:
Diosdado Macapagal #[38]
Ferdinand Marcos #[39]
Rodrigo Duterte
Nur Misuari (2001–2015)[14][15][16][40][41]
Units involved

NSOF:
Malaysian Armed Forces
Royal Malaysia Police
Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency

Indonesian National Armed Forces
Indonesian National Police

Former Support:
Armed Forces of the Philippines
Philippine National Police
Abu Sayyaf

Moro Pirates

Royal Security Forces of the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo
Strength
Malaysian security forces:
British coalition
(until 1966)

Philippine security forces:
uncertain
Indonesian security forces:
uncertain Law abiding Moro rebels:

uncertain
Abu Sayyaf: unknown

Kiram followers:

  • 235[46]
    Moro Pirates: unknown
Casualties and losses
Malaysian security forces:
British coalition
(until 1966)
  • uncertain

Philippine security forces:

Indonesian security forces:

  • uncertain

Law abiding Moro rebels:

Abu Sayyaf:

+10 captured



Kiram followers:

~ The total thought to be higher than what has been shown.

Prior to a large-scale military operation initiated by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to combat the rampant lawlessness in the southern Philippines since mid-2016, Malaysian security forces had been told to tighten its security and to ensure that terrorists do not attempt to flee prosecution by escaping to uninhabited areas.[66][67][68] Sabahan leaders also ordered Malaysian security forces to "shoot on sight" any trespassers who continue to ignore laws despite repeated warnings[69] and that those escaping militants be dealt with by the country's laws more effectively.[70] Following the declaration of martial law in the neighbouring Philippines since 23 May 2017, Malaysian authorities increased their border security.[71] Sabah Chief Minister Shafie Apdal also urged the Malaysian security forces to stop taking a defensive attitude and be offensive towards the rampant crimes perpetrated by southern Filipino criminals and terrorists that has disturbed peace in the state.[72]

Various countries and territories such as Australia,[73] Canada,[74] China, France,[75] Germany,[76] Hong Kong,[77] Ireland,[78] Japan,[79] New Zealand,[80] Singapore,[81] South Korea,[82] Switzerland,[83] Taiwan,[84] United Kingdom,[85] United States[86] and Vietnam[87] have raised a travel alert for their citizens to avoid the area in eastern Sabah.

Background

edit

Piracy has been a part of the Sultanate of Sulu's culture.[60][88][89] During the expedition by the British ship HMS Dido in 1846, Captain Henry Keppel mentioned:

The most desperate and active pirates of the whole Indian Archipelago are the tribes of the Sooloo group of islands lying close to the north shore of Borneo.[17]

— Captain Henry Keppel.

The Sulu islands were known for their "great slave market" with their islanders frequently attacking Borneo Island in search of slaves.[90] In 1910, the neighbouring Celebes Islands was attacked by seven Moro pirates whom had crossed from Mindanao, and two Dutch traders were killed in the incident.[63] Subsequent reports from the British government in North Borneo reported that Joloano Moros terrorised the inhabitants of North Borneo, looting small towns and killing many people.[91] Although the British did a lot to combat piracy,[63] an office of a British company was later raided by twelve Moro pirates in Kalabakan in July 1958. Another raid was done on the nearby township of Semporna on 29 March 1954.[92] During the last years of British rule in North Borneo, both seafarers and coastal settlements suffered a high numbers of attacks from pirates who were believed to be mainly based on Tawi-Tawi.[60] Between 1959 and 1962, 232 pirates attack were recorded by the British authorities in North Borneo, but these were thought to be underestimated as many attacks went unreported.[60] The British North Borneo governor at the time, Roland Turnbull had requested the British to provide him with security forces from the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force but no aid was sent until a British newspaper, the Daily Telegraph embellished the report with an anti-Indonesian bias because of the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation.[92]

Moro migration to Sabah

edit

Regional migration flows within Southeast Asia are not a phenomenon restricted to current times. Social and cultural connections between Sabah, Mindanao and the Indonesian province of North Kalimantan have existed for centuries. The tradition of border crossing from the Philippine Sulu Archipelago to Sabah originated in the late 16th century.[93] The first wave of this migration was linked to the Spanish colonialists who began pushing southwards toward the island provinces of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi from Manila, which was the administration centre of the Spanish during that time. The struggle for dominance between different ethnic groups and the Spanish in Mindanao led to increased immigration of Philippine Moro ethnic groups, mostly the Suluks and Bajaus to Sabah.[93]

 
A huge Moro settlements in the coast of Gaya Island near Kota Kinabalu.

The first arrival of the illegal immigrants in Sabah in the 1960s was said to be associated with the then Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos and his country's claim to the northern Borneo region.[93] It is claimed by media in the Philippines that during the first stage of his plan, Marcos sent around 17 men who mostly recruited from Sulu and Tawi-Tawi had entered Sabah as forest rangers, postmen and police. These agents have blended into the Sabah local communities with a plan to possessing the minds of the larger Filipino communities in eastern Sabah to secede from Malaysia and become part of the Philippines as well to destabilising Sabah.[39] At the same time, a Suluk native, Mustapha Harun became the third Chief Minister of Sabah, he then made a contact with one of the Filipino agent who became his driver.[39] However, most of them did not intend to attack their fellow Muslim brothers in Sabah when they realise their true mission in which they were later execute by Marcos commando soldiers in an event known as Jabidah massacre.[94][95] During Mustapha's term from 1967 to 1975, he was believed to have encouraged many newly Filipino Tausūgs to migrate to northern Borneo to establish a strong Muslim community which was represented by the United Sabah National Organisation (USNO).[93] Since the massacre especially with the starting of Moro insurgency in the Philippines,[96] Mustapha is believed to have supplied the Moro rebels with financial and weapon supports to fight for their freedom and to take a revenge for their fallen comrades.[97]

Since then, it has caused major economic problems for Sabah as Marcos soldiers launched an operation to eliminate any anti-Marcos factions in the Sulu and Mindanao islands which left much infrastructure there destroyed, forcing an estimated of another 100,000 Moros in Mindanao to flee to Sabah.[61][98] Most of those who left the Philippines were already involved in criminal activities, mainly smuggling and armed robbery.[61] Today, a huge numbers of Moros still live in many places in Sabah such as Kota Kinabalu, Kinarut, Lahad Datu, Sandakan, Semporna, Tawau, Telipok as well on Labuan.[99][100][101][102] Most of the Filipino refugees are issued with IMM13 documents by the Malaysian government during Mahathir Mohamad administration,[103] with many of them have been controversially naturalised as citizen.[101][104]

Besides that, the present economic disparity between Mindanao and Sabah became the main reason many of these illegal Moros snuck into Sabah with some of those "extremist" Moros with their own ideology still perceive the eastern part of Sabah as part of the Philippines, and these groups feel entitled to enter Sabah as it is their historical right although the Sultanate of Sulu have defunct since the last recognised Sultan, Jamalul Kiram II whose have no son to inherit his powers.[105][106]

These negative views on Filipino immigrants however, ignores the scathing involvement of the Malaysian government in terrorist activities in southern Philippines, as several terrorists targeting Philippine cities were of Malaysian descent. Filipino Moros who fled from the war in the Philippines were merely fleeing the devastation of the Moro conflict a conflict which was tacitly supported by the Malaysian government,[107] a political move to counter-act attempts for the Reconquest of Sabah by the Sultanate of Sulu which once exercised sovereignty over Sabah before Malaysia took over rule of the territory.

In 2014, the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) Security Coordinating Intelligence Officer Hassim Justin blamed corruption, illegal issuance of identity cards and local authorities who did not taking any action to combat the squatter colonies for contributing to the significant increase of illegal immigrants in Sabah.[108] It was also reported that community leaders in the east coast such as village chief were involved in the granting of identity cards to new Filipino Moro immigrants as they have a connection with them through similar ethnic roots.[109] According to a research by two Filipino researchers, Myfel Joseph Paluga and Andrea Malaya Ragragio of the Department of Social Science University of the Philippines Mindanao, the flood of migrants from Mindanao to Sabah was partly encouraged by certain Sabah politicians who wanted to be the Sultan of Sulu especially after the fall of Sabah Muslim-led parties of USNO and Sabah People's United Front (BERJAYA) administrations.[110] Beside that, it was claimed by Indonesian workers who had become victims of irresponsible employers, the arrival of illegal immigrants from the Philippines are also caused by employers who abuse their powers especially in the agricultural sectors of palm oil plantation.[111]

Timeline of attacks

edit

Attack strategy

edit

The tactics are different, and are based on the motives of individual groups. Generally, the Moro pirate and militants will attack and escape to the Malaysia–Philippines border or any nearby islands when their activities are spotted by the security forces. Both the pirates and militants will usually steal boat engines, food and other useful things that can be sold.[112] In certain cases, they also attack towns, killing innocent civilians and kidnapping them as shown in the Lahad Datu and Semporna attacks.[51] The Filipino illegal immigrants play an important role in helping them by providing information on their next target.[21] Due to the increase security patrol by the Malaysian Armed Forces, the militants group such as the Abu Sayyaf has changed their tactics by attacking and abducting foreign vessel crews. Many of those who fleeing from the Philippine military operation in the southern Philippines also sneaking into Sabah with new tactics by entering the state in a small group to avoid from being detected as suspicious by the Malaysian security forces, this was discovered following the tip-off from local villagers who saw many new suspicious people coming into their village from the sea shortly after the continuous military operation. Many of them are believed to be member of militants and kidnapping groups.[113]

20th century

edit
 
Australian soldiers being ferried in a small craft, from troop transport HMAS Sydney on its arrival in North Borneo (Sabah) to counter Indonesian confrontation and possible attacks by Filipino pirates as part of their defence aid program to Malaysia in 1964.

In 1962, seven Filipino Moros armed with machetes attacked the town of Kunak and robbed the businessmen there. The seven Filipino Moros attacked again in 1963, this time attacking the town of Semporna and killing a number of residents.[59] In October 1979, a passenger boat on the way to Semporna from Lahad Datu with 48 passengers was attacked and forced to dock at Adal Island. Three passengers were shot dead, one woman was raped and the others was taken to the Philippines but were quickly rescued by the Philippine security forces. In 1980, a group of 6–8 Moros attacked an island near Semporna with M16 rifles, killing villagers while they were asleep. At the end, seven villagers were killed while 11 others were injured. In 1982, a groups of Moros ambushed a village in Timba-Timba Island, and started to shoot, rob and kill villagers. The incident in 1985, which is considered to be the most terrifying attack out of all of them, was where 21 people were killed and another 11 wounded. Five of the intruders were killed by the Malaysian maritime police while the others managed to escaped. At the end of the tragedy, one of the victim said;

I cannot help wondering about our government, which can't seem to defend us against these marauders.[61]

In 1987, two Japanese managers were killed while others were wounded after twelve gunmen attack a factory in the Boheydulang Island, forcing the company to close and move their factory to Indonesia.[51] In 1996, two separate armed groups from Mindanao attack the town of Semporna, the first group attack a police station by throwing a fish bomb while the second group managed to steal jewellery worth around MYR100,000 at a gold shop. During the shoot-out, two of the group members were captured by the police with 200 bullets recovered from them. However, the rest managed to escape. In March 1996, another attacks by 10–20 Moros happens in the town of Semporna when three separate armed groups attacked different places at the same time. The first group attacked a police headquarters while the second group attacked a police station. It is acknowledged the motive of the first and second group was to delay time and let the third group succeed in robbing a gold shop. No arrest was made and all the intruders managed to escaped with MYR 200,000. Again in July 1996, four armed men attack a gold shop in Tawau and managed to steal jewellery worth around MYR 150,000. However, one of the gunmen later made a mistake when he retreated to a refugee village in Tawau where he was shot dead by the police. After an hour of investigation, another 5 gunmen from other groups were killed by the police.[51]

21st century

edit

In 2000, the Abu Sayyaf group kidnapped a large number of hostages. 10 of the hostages were from Europe and the Middle East while 11 were Malaysian resort workers. All hostages were later rescued by the Philippine security forces in Jolo, Sulu.[114] In 2003, six foreigners were kidnapped by 10 Moro pirates. In 2004, two Sarawakians and an Indonesian were kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf group. In 2005, five Filipinos abducted three Indonesian crew from a Sandakan-based trading company near Mataking Island off Semporna. In 2010, a crew of fishermen were captured by Filipino gunmen when their boat strayed into Philippine waters near Boan Island. All crews was later released without any ransom being paid. Also in the same year, a seaweed manager and supervisor were kidnapped by four armed Filipinos on Sebangkat Island. Both victims was freed 11 months later. In 2011, ten armed Filipinos kidnapped a Malaysian businessmen.[59] On 11 February 2013, a group of approximately 100–200 individuals, some of them armed, arrived by boat in Lahad Datu, Sabah from Simunul, Tawi-Tawi, in Mindanao.[115] They were sent by Jamalul Kiram III, one of the claimants to the throne of the Sultanate of Sulu. Their objective was to assert their unresolved territorial claim to North Borneo. During the standoff, 56 militants were killed including 6 civilians and 10 Malaysian forces.[48][116][117][118] In November 2013, suspected Abu Sayyaf militants killed a Taiwanese national at Pom Pom Island and released his wife a month later in southern Philippines.[119]

In January 2014, an attempted intrusion by foreign elements on Sabah was blocked by the Malaysian security forces.[120] On 2 April 2014, a Chinese tourist and a Filipino national were abducted off Singamata Adventures Reef and Resort, Semporna. Two months later, they were rescued by Malaysian and Philippine security forces. On 6 May 2014, another abduction involving a Chinese national occurred in Silam, near the Lahad Datu area in Sabah.[119] He was later freed on 10 July.[121] On 16 June, a fish breeder and a Filipino worker were kidnapped off Kunak.[122][123] The fish farm manager was freed on 10 December with the help of two Filipino negotiators, one of them being the leader of the Moro National Liberation Front.[122] On 12 July, a policeman was shot dead and another marine policeman was abducted at Mabul Water Bungalows Resort, Mabul island.[49][124][125] The policeman was later freed on 7 March 2015, after 9 months in captivity.[126] On 9 October, two Filipino illegal immigrants who were identified as Sulu militants were killed by police in Penampang, both suspects has a record of criminal activities and were responsible for at least three robberies in the area.[58] On 17 October, two Vietnamese fishermen who were working for a Malaysian employer, were shot by Filipino pirates. All of them were later rescued by the Malaysian security forces and sent to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kota Kinabalu.[127][128]

On 15 May 2015, four armed men from the Abu Sayyaf-based group in Mindanao abducted two people in a resort in Sandakan and brought them to Parang, Sulu.[129][130] One of them been released on 9 November, after six months in captivity,[131] while another one was beheaded due to ransom demands was not met.[132][133] The Malaysian authorities identified that a number of kidnappings in Sabah was perpetrated by a group of Filipino brothers known as "Muktadil brothers" who sell their hostages to Abu Sayyaf group. Of all the five Muktadil brothers: Mindas Muktadil was killed by Philippine police in Jolo in May 2015, Kadafi Muktadil was arrested in late 2015, Nixon Muktadil and Brown Muktadil was killed during an operation by the Philippine military on 27 September 2016 after they resist for arrest,[134][135] while Badong Muktadil succumbed to his injuries during his run after being shot at the time his brothers was killed. His body was discovered in a pump boat in Mususiasi area in Siasi Island, close to Jolo.[136]

On 1 April 2016, four Malaysians aboard a tugboat from Manila was kidnapped when they arrived near the shore of Ligitan Island, while leaving other crews unharmed comprising three Myanmar nationals and two Indonesians.[137] The four Malaysian hostages was later released after nearly two months in captivity.[138] On 15 April, two Indonesian tugboats from Cebu, namely Henry and Cristi with 10 passengers were attacked by Abu Sayyaf militants. Four passengers were kidnapped, while another five were safe. One of the passenger was injured after being shot but were later rescued by Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency when they arrived into the waters of Malaysia.[139] The four were released on 11 May with the help of the Philippine government.[140] On 9 July, three Indonesians fishermen was kidnapped near the coast of Lahad Datu.[141] On 18 July, five Malaysian sailors were also abducted near the coast of Lahad Datu.[142] Another one Indonesian sailor was kidnapped in the waters of Malaysia on 3 August while leaving other two crews unharmed, the incident was only reported by victims on 5 August.[143] Two of the Indonesian sailor hostages have managed to escape from the Abu Sayyaf after persistent threats of beheading.[144]

On 10 September, three Filipino fishermen was kidnapped in the shores of Pom Pom Island in Sabah, Malaysia.[145][146] The three Indonesians fishermen that was kidnapped on 9 July from Sabah were released on 17 September.[147] On 27 September, one local boat-skipper was kidnapped from his trawler by seven armed Filipino militant before attacking another Indonesian trawler but no kidnapping were committed in the second incident.[148] The boat-skipper was released on 1 October with no ransom been asked,[149] along with three Indonesians hostages that were released on the same day.[150] On 12 October, four armed men in a pump boat attacking two fishermen on a boat off Tigabu Island near Kudat. One of the fisherman who is an Indonesian sustained gunshot wounds and has been treated in the Duchess of Kent Hospital in Sandakan.[151][152] On 24 October, six unidentified gunmen who spoke Tagalog rob a Malaysian trawler in international waters near Jambongan Island off Kudat, the incident was only reported to local authorities on 27 October due to long distance with any army post.[153] Another attempt for kidnapping was thwarted by the Malaysian security forces on 31 October near Berhala Island, thought the perpetrators managed to escape.[154] Two Indonesians were abducted near the shore of Kuala Kinabatangan on 5 November by unidentified gunmen based in Tawi-Tawi island of the Philippines.[155] On 6 November, a German woman tourist was shot to dead while her boyfriend been abducted by Abu Sayyaf militants from their yacht off Tanjong Luuk Pisuk in Sabah.[156][157] The German man was later beheaded after failed to pay ransom for his release. On 20 November, two Indonesian fishermen was kidnapped by five Abu Sayyaf gunmen off Lahad Datu, Sabah, while Philippine military been informed to intercept the bandit.[158] Responding for the co-operation with neighbouring countries, since late 2016 more than 100 Abu Sayyaf militants have been killed by Philippine authorities,[159] with another 30 killed in early 2017.[160]

On 8 March 2017, a Vietnamese merchant ship was escorted safely to Malaysian waters by the local authorities after the ship's captain reported that he spotted a strange boat with six people on board from the Philippine waters following their vessel.[161] On 23 March, Philippine authorities rescued two Malaysian hostages during its continuous major pursuit to destroy the group.[162] Another three more Malaysian hostages rescued on 26 March.[163] Following the continuous security operation collaboration between the Philippine and Malaysian authorities, the attacks by Abu Sayyaf have seen a beginning of decrease since the month of April.[164] The Malaysian side announced that they would begin to lead the major active joint sea patrols in the Sulu and Celebes Sea with the authorities in Philippines and Indonesia to eliminate all forms of piracy and to clear the sea areas from criminal and terrorist activities that have been ongoing for decades.[165]

From 2000 to 2016, there has been records of 20 kidnappings cases perpetrated by the Abu Sayyaf, with a total of 33 Malaysians and 31 foreigners have been kidnapped for ransom during the six years.[166] Following the Philippine military major operations in the southern Philippines especially with the recent killings of many notable Abu Sayyaf leaders, the authorities there have foiled a big plan of the Abu Sayyaf to carry out large-scale kidnappings of foreigners from tourist island resorts in East Malaysia and the central Philippines.[167] On 11 September 2018, two Indonesian fishermen working off eastern Sabah shores are kidnapped by Filipino bandits, making it as another first kidnapping incident in almost two years.[168] On 10 June 2019, another ten sea gypsies were kidnapped by southern Filipino bandits from the waters in Lahad Datu.[169] Nine of them were later released without harm on 22 June in the same month.[170] On 4 September, two armed Filipino men were killed after they suddenly opened fire to Malaysian patrolling authorities who out to check two foreign boats acting suspiciously in Malaysian waters during night.[171] In the ensuing shoot-out, the other boat also unheeded the warnings and escaped in darkness towards the direction of the southern Philippines.[172][173] The increasing vigilance comes after the warning from Indonesian consulate in Sabah that there have been attempts by the Abu Sayyaf to carrying out raids for ransom in the east coast.[174]

Threats and impacts

edit

Security

edit
 
The Malaysian Maritime Police on duty patrolling the waters around Semporna especially on the Bajau Laut villages to prevent any further intrusion.

During the British colonial era, the British suffered a high number of attacks, leading to the deployment of Henry Keppel and James Brooke in 1846 to search for pirate nests in North Borneo.[17] After a long journey of battling with the pirates, the last pirate's nest in Tunku, Lahad Datu was destroyed by the British.[175]

The latest intrusion in 2013 caused the Malaysian government to establish the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM), Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZONE) and deploy more assets to Sabah.[176] To combat Moro pirates and Abu Sayyaf attacks, the Malaysian government has also decided to impose a curfew on eastern Sabah waters and has started to use radar to detect any suspicious activities on every tiny settlement along the east coast.[177][178] There is a call from a former Chief Minister of Sabah, Harris Salleh to the federal government to reconsider the proposal to move the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) base from Butterworth, Penang to Labuan. He suggested that the air force base should be relocated to Tawau in the interest of security in the eastern Sabah.[179] The Minister of Transport, Liow Tiong Lai has also proposed to extend the area of ESSCOM and ESSZONE to cover the whole Sabah as also been proposed by Yong Teck Lee.[180] On 23 January 2015, the Royal Brunei Air Force gives neighbouring Malaysia four S-70A Black Hawks as a gift. The Malaysian said that it will use it in addition to available assets to defend Sabah from a further possible attacks by the Moros.[9] On 28 February, the United States supplied the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) with 12 boats following a number of agreements signed between the two countries in 2014 during the Barack Obama visit.[181][182]

 
A Malaysian Army soldier armed with Colt M4 standing guard in Sabah east coast as part of the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM).

Despite various initiatives and assets been provided by government, the cross border crimes in eastern Sabah are keep increasing as the kidnap-for-ransom groups had strong intelligence as they had a relatives and family living in Sabah.[68][183] An investigation report in 2017 revealed that some of the militants members caught in Malaysia were even working as security guards or members of the People's Volunteer Corps in the Malaysia's capital city of Kuala Lumpur.[184] The Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) Security Coordinating Intelligence Officer Hassim Justin have previously warned Malaysian employers to be cautious on hiring Filipinos (mainly those who come from the Sulu Archipelago and Mindanao) as they could not be trusted as many of them are believed to be spies of kidnapping groups as shown by police investigation and international media reports.[185][186][187][188][189] Beside that, he have suggested that if any Filipino races (who have been naturalised as Malaysian citizens through the illegal Project IC) caught for continuously committing crimes in the states should be revoked for their citizenship with their whole family been deported back to the Philippines. Hashim also suggested that any Filipino names in troubled villages with high crime rates in eastern Sabah should be removed and replaced with Sabahan names.[190] Similar view were also being highlighted in 2018 by ESSCOM chief Hazani Ghazali that Filipino kidnappers received information from their relatives who have been illegally staying in Sabah for a long time.[191] The Royal Malaysia Police and Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister has made a proposal to ban barter trade in the east coast as it was seen only benefited to one side and threatening the security of the state.[192][193] This was enforced then although facing numerous opposition from the Malaysian opposition parties and Filipino resident on the nearest Philippine islands due to the raise of the cost in their region after the ban, while receiving positive welcomes by Sabahans residents and politicians.[194][195][196] The barter trade activity was resumed on 1 February 2017 with the increase of security surveillance and enforcement from both Malaysia and the Philippines authorities to jointly secure their borders.[25][26]

Malaysia, Philippines and Indonesia has agreed to jointly patrol their sea to thwart any threats from the Filipino militants.[197] The three countries also have signed another agreement on joint air patrols.[198] On 2 March 2015, a Filipino worker was arrested following the murder of the former Sabah Chief Minister nephew over salary dispute.[199] On 22 February 2016, four Filipino refugee were arrested following the discovery of a Colt. 45 and 39 bullets in their Isuzu D-Max vehicle at a refugee settlement scheme in Telipok.[200] On 23 September, an undocumented Filipino migrant was arrested together with his daughter after they were found with M16 bullets and magazines at a premises in Sandakan.[201] On 7 October, Malaysian authorities arrest 10 suspects comprising residents of Sabah and individuals from the southern Philippines on suspicion of collaborating with militant groups.[202] On 8 December, three armed Filipino kidnappers who are believed to be members of Abu Sayyaf was shot dead by Malaysian security forces while another two arrested while the gunmen trying to kidnap a fisherman off Lahad Datu.[50][203] Two other gunmen however managed to escape with one hostage but goes missing after the shootout.[57] Philippine authorities have confirmed all of the gunmen are Abu Sayyaf members and one of the gunmen killed is one of Abu Sayyaf notorious leader that were previously involved in several other kidnappings involving foreign nationals.[204] On 12 December, two armed gunmen was killed during a shootout with police in Kunak.[205] Both suspects are armed with homemade shotguns, an airgun, a Colt .45 pistol, a .38 revolver, a knife and parang, several M16 bullets (a version which different from that being used by the Malaysian security forces), other bullets and cartridges as well drug packets but no documentation found in their bodies.[206] Both suspects are believed to be drug dealers and involved in several robbery around the east coast area.[207][208][209] On 29 December, a 42-year-old local man was slashed to death while his wife and their three children were seriously hurt after being attacked by a Filipino man in Kudat.[210]

On 7 January 2017, a paperless Filipino who just served his sentence for 13 criminal offences in Sabah prison in October 2016 was shot and re-arrested by local police after he resisting from arrest and tried to injuring one of the policemen when he was caught return to his criminal activities.[211] On 3 April, a Filipino man was shot to dead by police after running amok by stabbing his wife and tried to injuring policemen who tried to stop him after repeated warnings.[212][213] Another Filipino man was charged in court for supporting the ideology of Abu Sayyaf terrorist group on 6 April.[214] On 15 April, a local teenager was attacked and stabbed by a group of Filipino migrants in Penampang.[215] On 30 April, a Filipino foreign worker who works for the Malaysian plantation related an incident to a friend which later was reported to police following the sightings of armed men in Lahad Datu who suddenly apprehended him and telling that they want to protect the peoples in Sabah.[216] Following a wide-scale surveillance launched by the security forces, there is however no presence of armed men founded in the related areas with the Filipino man also giving a lot of excuses when asked why it was only reported after two weeks with authorities have warned that severe punishment will be imposed for those who found to be made a false report.[217][218] The worker explained he was afraid of being arrested if he report the sighting to local authorities as he working illegally in the state, which later resulting to his arrestment with the authorities assured the public that police will not closing the case despite not finding any proof of the man's claim and explained his arrestment are not caused by making false report but rather due to immigration offences.[219]

On 2 May, an unemployed Filipino man was arrested after trying to assault a security guard after being warned not to trespass a construction site. The suspect was managed to be put down by the guard during the ensuing scuffle when he began to brandishing a knife; and giving a threat to find the guard soon after his sentence is ended. The suspect also remanded for coming to the state without any valid travel documents.[220] On 10 May, a local woman was held hostage by a Filipino man high on drugs after the suspect failed to robbed a house which he was then picking a local bystander and pointing his knife towards the woman by threatening to slit her throat.[221][222][223] Following the implementation of strict requirements by Philippine authorities in the southern Philippines for Filipinos who tried to leaving their country to come to Sabah, there is a positive beginning drop on the numbers of Filipinos who plan to heading to the state without complete travel documents. This was enforced following the revelation from the previously arrested Filipino man who tried to robbed a house and taking a local bystander as a hostage in the state capital as he had no money to be used to return to his country.[224] On 29 September, a Filipino man who are previously involved in several robberies and kidnapping plot was shot dead after resisting arrest by opening fire towards police.[54] On 13 November, a previously deported Filipino illegal immigrant who had returned to Sabah to commit armed robbery was arrested after robbing a convenience store in Tawau.[225] On 4 December, another Filipino man linked to the Abu Sayyaf was shot dead in the waters near Silam in Lahad Datu after resisting arrest by firing security forces.[55]

On 13 February 2018, a Filipino criminal who has been involved in 17 housebreaking cases were shot dead by police after he resisting arrest by releasing several gunshots to police members during ensuing chase in Kayu Madang Road, Telipok.[226] On 22 February, Sabah fishermen who was fishing in the waters off Kinabatangan was shot by gunmen who are believed to be originated from the neighbouring islands of the Philippines.[227] On 27 February, three heavily armed men was shot dead by police in Tawau after opening fire when the suspects realised they were being tailed.[228] On 8 May, four gunmen were shot dead by Sabah authorities off the coast of Lahad Datu after attacking patrolling authorities.[229] Another two gunmen were shot dead on 20 September.[230] On 24 December, through raids into various Filipino refugee settlement in both Sabah and Labuan, the authorities seized many dangerous weapons including drugs possessed by many of the Filipino illegal immigrants where they were detained through the operations.[231] On 28 December, an armed illegal immigrant man with identity documents from the Philippines were shot dead in Kampung Jawa, Lahad Datu after aiming his gun to patrolling police members who out to check him in a house following a tip-off from the public.[232]

On 13 January 2019, another case of random passerby hostage taking involving a 2-year-old children occurred in Telipok where the suspect been shot dead after 5 hours negotiation with police to release the victim.[233] The identity of the suspect are yet to be ascertained but during the negotiation, the suspect are heard to be speaking Suluk language and police also did not rule out he is a foreigner as no identity document found on his body.[234][235] This was also agreed by a majority of Sabahan society in social media who have been condemning the unstoppable violent attitudes of Muslim Filipino cultures in the state that are brought by their immigrants since the area of Telipok itself are mostly inhabited by southern Filipinos refugees from Mindanao.[236] United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (UPKO) also warned local authorities on the already huge crimes in the state that were perpetrated by Filipinos in just a month, urging for more drastic measures being taken including recalling and reissued all the identity cards in the state to only genuine Sabahan citizens since many foreigners mainly criminals and terrorists from neighbouring countries have taken advantage through the illegal issuance of identity cards to them.[237] On 26 January, an Aussie homestay operator in Sabah were severely slashed with machete by an undocumented Filipino worker after some disagreement with the latter near Kampung Kiwoi, Tamparuli.[238][239] The Filipino was then arrested on 14 February in an unnumbered house in Kampung Saga in Likas, Kota Kinabalu where the suspect still tried to escape and being aggressive towards police.[240] Through his trial, he was served a sentence of 13 years in jail.[241]

On 24 May, a local Grab driver who was pronounced missing was later found to be murdered by a Filipino illegal immigrant with local accomplice (also a Filipino with citizenship) in Kota Kinabalu.[242] Both suspects has been arrested and handed with execution.[243] On 10 June, a local trader in Tawau was stabbed to death by Filipino illegal immigrants with all of the perpetrators were later arrested by police.[244][245] On 11 June, a clash occurred between local and Filipino illegal immigrants in Ranau with a local man was assaulted by the Filipino group.[246][247][248] Following the unstoppable spates of violent criminal incidents perpetrated by Filipino illegal immigrants towards local people, Filipino community leader has called for a more strict and harsh law by both Sabah and Malaysian authorities with life travel ban imposed to those involved while at the same time calling Filipino authorities to records every of the ex-convicts and closely monitor their movements upon their return to the Philippines.[249] The city of Kota Kinabalu have since recently received the exodus of beggars from the Philippines wandering around the city and disrupting the public with more efforts from the authorities have also been urged by the State Tourism Minister Christina Liew to address the matter.[250] The Sabah Prisons' Board of Visiting Justices (LHP) also has reported that most prison in the state have exceeded their capacity,[251] with detained Filipinos in Sabah blamed their embassy for their lengthy detention.[252]

A Malaysian lecturer, B. A. Hamzah of the Department of Strategic Studies, National Defence University, Kuala Lumpur said "the root causes for maritime violence must be understood and addressed" with the people in the Sulu Archipelago should be granted for a self-rule by the Philippine government. Adding that the kidnappings was happened as a result of spillover of armed conflicts in the southern Philippines. He said there must be co-operation between the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia to enforce law and order at the Sulu Sea as the area are historically known for their lawlessness, where the Muslim islanders living in the archipelago becoming bandits, kidnappers, extortionists, and gun runners as their main primary businesses as the areas are very impoverished.[253]

Neighbouring Vietnam have begun to install radar in their ships for piracy warning and launched maritime exercise.[2] Both Singapore and Thailand have also been invited to assist in the Sulu Sea patrols together with Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.[3][4]

Society

edit

The former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Mahathir Mohamad, has suggested the government of Sabah to demolish all the water villages in eastern Sabah and resettle only the local people there as the era of the water villages has passed and the lifestyle of the villagers there who live in the sea is not appropriate for the modern way of life in Malaysia as the nation aims for Vision 2020.[254] A Sabah MP, Rosnah Shirlin has called for the closure of the Filipino refugee camp in Kinarut, saying it is a threat to security in Papar. She says:

The refugee camp has creating a lot of problems for the residents of the district. The camp has become a drugs den and the source of many other criminal activities. Over the years, many robberies had taken place in nearby villages and the culprits are mostly from the camp. Supposedly, the improved situation in the Philippines today has brought into question whether these Filipinos could still be regarded as refugees. The camp was set up on a 40-acre plot of land near Kampung Laut in the early 1980s by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). But the UNHCR had long ago stopped providing funds to the camp and as a result, many of these foreigners had been working outside the camp.[255] The refugees had dared to expand the camp area, encroaching on nearby village land and today, the camp has become the biggest syabu distribution den in Papar.[256][257]

— Rosnah Shirlin, Sabah Papar's MP.

United Sabah People's Party (PBRS) leader, Joseph Kurup shares a similar view on this, adding that the Moro refugees and immigrants should take the opportunity to return and develop their homeland in Mindanao, Philippines as the peace had been restored there.[258] Kurup also reminded that Sabahan people are not against to any migration, but stressing that any migration should be accordance to law by not entering illegally;

We (the Sabahan peoples) are not against migration to Sabah as long as it is in accordance with the law.[259]

Another Sabah former Chief Minister, Yong Teck Lee has suggested to suspend the ferry service in Sandakan to counter the high level of Moro people migration from the Mindanao which now has become a major issue for Sabah when they overstay in the state and becoming an illegal immigrant.[260][261] In October 2014, the Minister of Home Affairs, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced that all stateless children in Sabah will be given a birth certificates for schooling purposes.[262] The proposal was soon opposed by a number of Sabahan politicians both from the opposition and government allied parties such as Joseph Pairin Kitingan, Darell Leiking and Yong Teck Lee, citing the act would bring a big problem to Sabah in the future,[263][264][265] while another Sabah-based opposition party leader, Jeffrey Kitingan, has called for a different birth certificate to be issued to the foreigners.[266] Sabah State Legislative Assembly member for Kamunting in Sandakan, Charles O Pang, believes the education system will be burdened if stateless children are given birth certificates. He quote;

According to Sabah survey of statelessness, it is estimated that around 36,000 stateless children of Indonesian origin lived in the state and most employees understand they are working on palm oil plantations. While stateless children from the Philippines are estimated much higher. He did not deny that most people who come to Sabah to seek a better life but the problems posed by the illegal human wave will only lead to trouble. Obviously, this scenario creates an unfair situation for Malaysians in the sense that we are taxpayers, and who should pay the high costs of the non-citizen children not only in their schools, but also in the terms of maintenance of their lives?[267]

— Charles O Pang, Sabah State Legislative Assembly Members for Kamunting in Sandakan.

Also it was known the UNHCR has ever trying before to integrate the Filipino refugees with local communities in 1986 if they can't repatriate them back to the Philippines but this was opposed heavily by the locals and Sabah state government as it could bring a big social problem to the state.[99][100] Large amounts of money have been spent to maintain the lives of the Filipino illegal immigrants and the amount remains unpaid until today despite attempts to recover the monies. Sabah Health Department said infectious diseases among the illegal immigrants was on the rise resulting in more expenditures, as well as provisions for more funds to accommodate the logistics such as medical officers and others.[268] Illegal electricity connection and theft in the state are mainly been attributed to illegal squatters settlement that inhabited by Filipino refugees and illegal immigrants.[269][270][271] The seaweed industry operated by indigenous Suluk community in eastern Sabah are also heavily affected because of the persistent kidnappings perpetrated by their Filipino-Tausūg relatives southern-Philippine-based terrorist group, the Abu Sayyaf.[272] Sabah Kiulu Assemblyman, Joniston Bangkuai point out a similar view on the stateless issue. He said:

It used to be that they (the illegal Filipinos) came here to look for livelihood. They came to look for work, but now they are multiplying, with their women giving birth to as many as 10 children, but they are not taken care of.[273]

— Joniston Bangkuai, Sabah Kiulu's Assemblyman.

The Sabah National Registration Department (NRD) director, Ismail Ahmad has clarified that the issuing of the birth certificates does not make the stateless children Malaysians or Sabahan citizens as the certificates will be only used for record and monitoring purpose to show that the children are born in Sabah.[274] Beside that, a DNA test is now among the methods being used to ensure only genuine citizens are issued the Malaysian birth certificate when they apply for late birth registrations.[275] After several discussions, the Cabinet of Malaysia later decided to give only special birth documents instead of birth certificates as announced by the Malaysian Prime Minister, Najib Razak.[276][277]

UPKO to present their proposed solutions on the problems after they have obtained the full Royal Commission Inquiry report, one of them being the re-calling and re-issuing of all the identification cards of the people of Sabah.[278] Other former politicians have asked the federal government to investigate the action of some individuals who claim to be of royal blood of the Sulu Sultanate and have been conferring many Datukship title to local Sabahans and to those from Peninsular Malaysia until today.[279]

Most Sabah United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) leaders have lauded the drastic measures announced by the Sabah current Chief Minister Musa Aman to address the problem posed by illegal immigrants.[280] However, the former UPKO federal parliamentarian, Wilfred Bumburing reminded that the members of Barisan Nasional (BN) should not take credit for the setting up of the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) as it was only established after a much pressure from the Sabahan peoples.[281] The United Sabah Party (PBS) has said the Philippine government is to be blamed for the misery of its nationals in Sabah as a response to remarks made by Philippines Ambassador to Malaysia, J. Eduardo Malaya who stressed that Filipino migrants children in Malaysia deserved formal education. While he support the suggestion, the party Secretary-General Johnny Mositun reminded:[282]

The number of Filipinos in Sabah, legal or illegal, is huge but what has Manila done, or is doing, to see to their education? It was Manila's refusal to establish a Consular Office in Sabah that was making life difficult for the hundreds of thousands of Filipinos in the state and Malaysia had to bear the cost. Nearly half of the patients using Sabah hospitals are mostly Filipinos. For the better part of four decades, the Filipinos in Sabah – refugees, migrant workers and illegal immigrants – have all been denied any substantial services or assistance from the Philippine government. They survive only because the Malaysian Government adheres strictly to international norms and standards of law and human rights. We provide them with jobs, they avail themselves of all our civic amenities, and now it is implied that we should educate their children, too. What next?[282]

— Johnny Mositun, United Sabah Party (PBS) Secretary General.

Other Sabahan leaders such as Darell Leiking agreed and reminded the Philippine government to emulate the Indonesian government's plan by setting up a consulate in Sabah to care for their nationals and set up schools for their children. On a statement, he said:[283]

The Philippine government should accept the fact that Sabah was a sovereign nation and that it needed to set up a consulate in the state for the good of its people. Filipino migrants must be registered to allow them to have better opportunities in Sabah, to have a life and proper jobs as it was unfair to impose Filipino problems unto Sabah or the Malaysian government simply because the Philippine government refused to take responsibility for its own people.[283]

— Darell Leiking, member of the opposition (PKR).

The Sabah state government has since working to end the Filipino squatter problems that have become the main cause for rampant crimes, terrorism and drug trafficking in the state by relocating them to a proper place to ease proper management.[284] Prior to the meeting between Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak in Putrajaya in late 2016, both leaders agree to deport illegal Filipino migrants and refugees in Sabah while set aside Philippines claim into the state with the signing of various agreements to improve the social conditions of legal Filipino migrants and expatriates in the state with the establishment of a school, hospital and a consulate.[285][286] However, the matter will still need to be discussed within the Sabah state cabinet for an outcome to allow Philippine government setting up their school, hospital and a consulate in the state, with the Sabah state government appreciating Philippine government recent move to accept its citizens that currently being detained in various temporary detention in the state mainly for illegal migration, overstaying and committing crimes.[287] According to a statistics from Sabah National Security Council, around 550,000 undocumented immigrants have been deported from the state or left voluntarily since 1990, with most of them are Filipinos.[288] The Sabah state government also submit recommendations to the Malaysian federal government through the Main Committee on Management of Foreigners to move the refugee placement schemes in the state to other more suitable locations far from the towns and industrial development areas.[289] More strong enforcements against illegal immigrants in Sabah also being taken following the discovery of immigrants syndicates giving illegal citizenship to their fellow relatives from the Philippines and Indonesia,[290] as in early 2017, a former employee in the Malaysian Registration Department (JPN) was sentenced to 156 years in prison for giving illegal citizenship to Filipino illegal immigrants from Sulu to stay in Sabah.[291] The recent Sabah state government decision to re-open border trade in its eastern coast has been applauded by Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) secretary Abdul Khayr Alonto. In his statement:

As per announcement by the chief Minister of Sabah, starting 1 February 2017, the ban on doing the economic activities will be lifted. Sabah is open once again to our Muslim/Filipino traders going to that part of Malaysia. The re-opening of the cross border trade will involve our three island provinces but will eventually expand to other territories of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), and even to General Santos City. The behaviour of some individuals, you know – kidnapping and beheading – the inhumanity in this kidnap for ransom affected not only the free trade but economic activities, their livelihood (mainly to us). Without prejudice to the Sabah claim, we will operate (consulate) in Kota Kinabalu, within that complex also we will try to put up the consular office activities to take good care of our people in Sabah and attend to their requirements, including passport.[26]

The secretary added that he vowed to work harder to make Mindanao as the gateway of the Philippines as part of the BIMP-EAGA and asked the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to strengthened security in the Sulu Sea and Mindanao and eliminating terrorists to encourage more investors to develop the areas.[26] However, according to Philippine Representative from Palawan Jose C. Alvarez, they are more interest to establish a Palawan Business Office in the state than Philippine Office that will also giving the similar services like passport granting, renewal of travel documents and other requirements as well extending business assistance to the Filipino people when the need arises, giving excuses that it is only proper and logical to set up the main office if there are increasing number of Filipino traders especially from Palawan.[292] Despite this, Abdul Khayr said the opening of a consulate is still a major necessary to serve as a refuge for overseas Filipino workers who vulnerable to many issues especially those who remain undocumented and by opening it does not mean it will affect the territorial dispute issue.[293]

The Filipinos in the state expressed their hopes that more attention will be given from the Filipino consular services especially on easy and better access in communication facilities, more friendly attitude from embassy officials and staff and transparency in all official transactions as they had repeatedly expressed their dissatisfactions over how the manner of consular missions were conducted with the presence of "middlemen", delays in deliveries of travel documents, difficulties to telephone the main Philippine embassy in Kuala Lumpur and rudeness of some of the embassy officials and staff.[294] Despite the return of barter trade activity, the state of Sabah has maintained they will always be cautious on their trade with the Philippines.[295]

In 2019, the IMM13 document for refugees from southern Philippines are being replaced with Temporary Sabah Pass (PSS) under the administration of a new Malaysian government to solve the problems once and for all which have been ongoing since the 1970s where the old document is misused by the refugees which subsequently posing threats to the security of the state.[296] The Sabah state government also introducing a new barter trade system where only non-subsidised cooking oil can be used in the trade unlike in the previous system where subsidised cooking oil specifically for Malaysian citizens were rampantly taken by foreigners in neighbouring Philippines and Indonesia.[297][298] Despite with all of the earlier proposals and newer approaches, the increasing Filipino netizens pressure on the Philippine government to act more on territorial issues due to the government soft approaches to recent presence of China's military in their territorial waters was responded by Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. who subsequently trying to divert the attention by saying in April 2019 that the Philippine government should make the attempt to possessing Sabah as the main priority instead while telling everyone through his tweet in Twitter that the South China Sea (known as West Philippine Sea in the country) is not Philippine territories where it is only an exclusive economic zone (EEZ).[299] Further in September in the same year, Locsin finally revealed the definite Philippine government decision that they really did not have any plan to setting up an embassy to care for Filipino nationals in the state who frequently detained due to social problems as the move is considered by the Philippine government as an act of treason to their country, ignoring the plead of many Filipinos who have been complaining the problems on the lacks of their representative in the state unlike neighbouring Indonesia which has a consulate in the state.[300]

Notes

edit
  1. ^ A number of Philippine police and soldiers were also killed in their mission to suppress the piracy and criminal activities in the Sulu Archipelago.
  2. ^ A number of law abiding Moro rebels from the group of MNLF and MILF were also killed in their mission to control the persistent lawlessness in Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago.

References

edit
  1. ^ Febrianto (29 March 2016). "Indonesia Tak Boleh Tunduk Terhadap Terorisme Abus Sayyaf!" [Indonesia Cannot Bow to Terrorism of Abu Sayyaf!] (in Indonesian). Rima News. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Vietnamese ships to get piracy warnings". Vietnam News Agency. Vietnam Net. 4 May 2016. Archived from the original on 4 September 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  3. ^ a b Lim Yan Liang (6 June 2016). "Eng Hen: Joint Sulu Sea patrols a welcome initiative to tackle terror". The Straits Times. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  4. ^ a b Ruksith Sitthitool (20 April 2016). "Thailand to be invited by Malaysia as observers for Sulu Sea Patrol". Thai Tribune. Archived from the original on 30 January 2019. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  5. ^ Ranjit Singh (1984). Brunei, 1839–1983: the problems of political survival. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-582571-8.
  6. ^ Alito Malinao (27 August 1989). "No links with Kiram, says Brunei embassy". Manila Standard. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  7. ^ Steven Runciman (3 February 2011). The White Rajah: A History of Sarawak from 1841 to 1946. Cambridge University Press. pp. 116–. ISBN 978-0-521-12899-5.
  8. ^ Nicholas Tarling (17 June 2013). Southeast Asia and the Great Powers. Routledge. pp. 58–. ISBN 978-1-135-22941-2.
  9. ^ a b Marcel Burger (23 January 2015). "Brunei gives four Black Hawks as present to Malaysia". AIRheads. Archived from the original on 24 January 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  10. ^ a b "Iqbal: Sabah better off under Malaysia". The Manila Times. 14 April 2015. Archived from the original on 4 June 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  11. ^ "MNLF strongly condemns terrorist acts in eastern Sabah". The Brunei Times. Bernama. 8 March 2013. Archived from the original on 2 October 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  12. ^ Dharel Placido (31 August 2016). "Misuari wants meeting with Duterte in Malaysia". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  13. ^ a b Ubac, Michael Lim (7 March 2013). "Aquino: I won't allow Sulu sultan to drag PH into war with Malaysia". The Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on 24 July 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2014. President Aquino said in a statement, 'I appeal to you (Jamalul Kiram III) — we should be really clear on this – this incident is wrong. If this is wrong, why should we (the government) lend support to this? We should support what is right… which will lead us to brighter prospects; the wrong option will only bring us ruin. That's it, that's my simple message.' He also added 'Let's not forget: What they (the Jamalul Kiram III faction) are pushing for is their right as so-called heirs of the sultan of Sulu. It's not yet clear if their rights have been transferred to the Philippines. But we (the Philippines citizens and our nation) will all be affected by their conflict (with Malaysia).'
  14. ^ a b Teoh El Sen (14 March 2013). "MNLF supports Sulu claim, says Nur Misuari faction". Astro Awani. Archived from the original on 5 July 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  15. ^ a b "Nur Misuari involved, says Zahid". Bernama. MySinChew English. 16 July 2014. Archived from the original on 16 July 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  16. ^ a b Karlos Manlupig (17 May 2015). "MNLF denies talks with Malaysia over Sabah". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on 17 May 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2015. Misuari, who is hiding after the hostilities in Zamboanga in 2013, maintains his position that only the Sultanate of Sulu can pursue the negotiations for the Sabah claim. Respecting the fervent wish of the late Sultan Muhammad Jamalul Kiram III to let alone the Islamic Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo (SSNB) to negotiate peacefully with the Muslim leaders of Malaysia to settle the controversial issue in order not to repeat the March 2013 Lahad Datu, Sabah incident, Chairman Misuari has dismissed the media reports as unfounded and without any ounce of truth involving the MNLF in any level talks. The MNLF, however, asserted that the Sabah case is a non-issue because it is the "home-base for different tribal groupings of Muslims from different regions of Southeast Asia that have enjoyed peaceful and harmonious co-existence with the Chinese and Christian populace in the area.
  17. ^ a b c CAPTAIN THE HON. HENRY KEPPEL, R.N. (1846). THE EXPEDITION TO BORNEO OF H.M.S. DIDO FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF PIRACY. Chapman and Hall. pp. 214–.
  18. ^ "Philippines rebel leader arrested". BBC News. 25 November 2001. Archived from the original on 26 September 2015. Retrieved 26 September 2015. Malaysia's Inspector-General of Police Norian Mai said Mr Misuari and six of his followers were arrested at 3.30 am on Saturday (1930 GMT Friday) on Jampiras island off Sabah state. Manila had ordered his arrest on charges of instigating a rebellion after the government suspended his governorship of an autonomous Muslim region in Mindanao, the ARMM. Although the Philippines has no extradition treaty with Malaysia, the authorities have already made clear that they intend to hand Mr Misuari over to the authorities in Manila as soon as possible. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad had said before the arrest that, although his country had provided support to the rebel group in the past in its bid for autonomy, Mr Misuari had not used his powers correctly. "Therefore, we no long feel responsible to provide him with any assistance," he said.
  19. ^ "Nur Misuari to be repatriated to stand trial". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 20 December 2001. Archived from the original on 5 July 2014. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  20. ^ Jaymalin, Mayen (25 March 2014). "Over 26,000 Filipino illegal migrants return from Sabah". The Philippine Star. ABS-CBN News. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  21. ^ a b Gindol, Kanul (31 May 2014). "'Localised' illegal immigrants helping 'foreign' relatives in Sabah". The Ant Daily. Archived from the original on 3 June 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  22. ^ Vanar, Muguntan (29 June 2013). "Lahad Datu: Ops Daulat officially ends today". The Star. Archived from the original on 30 October 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
  23. ^ "ESSCOM will continue to hold programmes on security within ESSZONE". New Sabah Times. 22 October 2013. Archived from the original on 29 June 2014. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  24. ^ Ruben Sario (7 April 2016). "Sabah ceases cross-border trade". The Star. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  25. ^ a b Ruben Sario (17 January 2017). "Sabah to lift barter trade ban in east coast from Feb 1". The Star. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  26. ^ a b c d Antonio L. Colina IV (25 January 2017). "Cross border trade between Malaysia and ARMM's island provinces to reopen on Feb. 1". Minda News. Archived from the original on 1 February 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  27. ^ "Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines agree to intensify maritime security". Antara. 15 July 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  28. ^ "Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines: Maritime Cooperation Agreement Finalized". Stratfor. 2 August 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  29. ^ "Moro refugees, immigrants in Sabah should return, develop homeland – Kurup". The Borneo Post. Bernama. 21 January 2013. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  30. ^ John Unson (11 March 2013). "Sema calls for sobriety, prudence among Moro groups". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  31. ^ "Aquino to meet heirs of sultan on Sabah". Manila Standard. 16 April 1989. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
  32. ^ a b Marites Dañguilan Vitug (11 March 2013). "Sabah, Ramos and Arroyo". Rappler. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  33. ^ "FVR to PNoy: Meet with Sultan Kiram to address Sabah conflict". GMA News. 6 March 2013. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  34. ^ Jurgen Haacke (13 May 2013). ASEAN's Diplomatic and Security Culture: Origins, Development and Prospects. Routledge. pp. 187–. ISBN 978-1-136-13146-2.
  35. ^ "President Yudhoyono hopes Sabah problem to be resolved soon". Balita. 9 March 2013. Archived from the original on 22 April 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  36. ^ Gabriel Pabico Lalu (27 July 2023). "Bongbong Marcos says Sabah issue discussed in Malaysia, focusing on common grounds". INQUIRER.NET.
  37. ^ a b Rashvinjeet S. Bedi (27 January 2015). "Self-styled Sulu Sultan names Phugdal to be Raja Muda". The Star. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  38. ^ Durian Amina Rasul (14 May 2009). "Basis of the Sabah claim". The Manila Times. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  39. ^ a b c d "Marcos order: Destabilize, take Sabah". Philippine Daily Inquirer. 2 April 2000. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  40. ^ "Duterte: Misuari wants amnesty for Abu Sayyaf". ABS-CBN News. 28 September 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
  41. ^ Nestor Corrales (3 November 2016). "Misuari accuses Malaysia of using Moro people in kidnap-for-ransom activities". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
  42. ^ a b Ian Pfennigwerth (2008). Tiger Territory: The Untold Story of the Royal Australian Navy in Southeast Asia from 1948 to 1971. Rosenberg. pp. 69–. ISBN 978-1-877058-65-3.[permanent dead link]
  43. ^ a b New Zealand. Registrar-General's Office; New Zealand. Census and Statistics Dept; New Zealand. Dept. of Statistics (1957). New Zealand official yearbook. New Zealand. Statistics New Zealand.
  44. ^ New Zealand. Dept. of External Affairs (1963). External Affairs Review.
  45. ^ "Army strength in Sabah at the optimum level". Daily Express. 9 September 2015. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  46. ^ Abigail C. Kwok (10 April 2013). "Sulu Governor: No MNLF rescue mission for Filipinos in Sabah". Inter Aksyon. Archived from the original on 7 November 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  47. ^ a b "Policeman dies in shootout with pirates". New Sunday Times. 24 September 1985. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  48. ^ a b c d e f g Kronologi pencerobohon Lahad Datu [Chronology of Lahad Datu invasion] (video) (in Malay). Astro Awani. 15 February 2014. Event occurs at 1:20. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  49. ^ a b "Malaysian cop killed, another kidnapped in Sabah". One News. Television New Zealand. 13 July 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  50. ^ a b c d "Malaysia security forces shoot dead 3 suspected kidnappers in Sabah waters". The Straits Times. The Star/Asia News Network. 9 December 2016. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
  51. ^ a b c d e Ramli Dollah (9 December 2004). "Lanun atau Mundu di Sabah" [Pirates or Mundu in Sabah] (PDF) (in Malay). University of Malaya. pp. 176, 178 and 180 (6, 8 and 10). Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  52. ^ Charles Ramendran (26 October 2014). "Intruder shot dead in boat off Semporna". The Sun. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  53. ^ "1 killed, 11 from southern PHL arrested off Sabah after boat chase – report". GMA News. 17 May 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  54. ^ a b "Police shoot dead Filipino wanted criminal in shootout". Bernama. The Sun. 29 September 2017. Retrieved 16 October 2017.[permanent dead link]
  55. ^ a b Avila Geraldine (4 December 2017). "Gunman killed in shootout with security forces linked to KFR and Abu Sayyaf groups". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  56. ^ "Alleged Pinoy intruder shot at PHL-Malaysian border —report". GMA News. 5 September 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  57. ^ a b "Two gunmen on the loose in Malaysia with hostage in tow". The Straits Times. The Star/Asia News Network. 9 December 2016. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
  58. ^ a b Muguntan Vanar (5 November 2014). "Sabah police chief: Penampang robbers were Sulu militants". The Star. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  59. ^ a b c "Major incidences of Sabah cross-border crimes". The Star. Archived from the original on 23 July 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  60. ^ a b c d e Stefan Eklöf (1 January 2006). Pirates in Paradise: A Modern History of Southeast Asia's Maritime Marauders. NIAS Press. pp. 38–. ISBN 978-87-91114-37-3.
  61. ^ a b c d e f Masayuki Doi (30 October 1985). "Filipino pirates wreak havoc in a Malaysian island paradise". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  62. ^ "Abu Sayyaf behind Taiwanese man's murder, wife's kidnapping, police say". Taipei Times. 17 November 2013. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  63. ^ a b c Eric Tagliacozzo (2007). Secret Trades, Porous Borders: Smuggling and States Along a Southeast Asian Frontier, 1865–1915. NUS Press. pp. 115–. ISBN 978-9971-69-385-5.
  64. ^ Charlie Saceda (6 March 2013). "Pinoys in Sabah fear retaliation". Rappler. Archived from the original on 24 October 2015. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  65. ^ "Foreigners make up 58% of Sabah prison inmates". The Star. Bernama. 19 March 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  66. ^ "No safe haven for Abu Sayyaf". New Straits Times. 26 September 2016. Archived from the original on 27 September 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  67. ^ Tracy Patrick (29 March 2017). "Alert for Filipino terror groups". Daily Express. Archived from the original on 30 March 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  68. ^ a b "Family ties luring militants to Malaysia". The Star. 3 September 2017. Archived from the original on 10 September 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  69. ^ "Why no shoot-on-sight yet?". Daily Express. 27 September 2016. Archived from the original on 28 September 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  70. ^ Muguntan Vanar (27 September 2016). "Sabah CM orders lookout for groups fleeing southern Philippines". The Star. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  71. ^ "Malaysia to tighten borders after Duterte announces martial law: Report". Today Online. 25 May 2017. Archived from the original on 29 May 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
  72. ^ "Sabah CM: Time to go on the offensive against cross-border criminals". New Straits Times. Bernama. 9 December 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  73. ^ "(South East Asia) Malaysia". Smart Traveller. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  74. ^ "(Destination) Malaysia". Government of Canada. 16 November 2012. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  75. ^ "(Zones de vigilance) Malaisie" (in French). Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, France. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  76. ^ "Malaysia: Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise (Sicherheit)" (in German). Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Germany. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  77. ^ "(Outbound Travel Alert) Malaysia". Security Bureau. Archived from the original on 2 October 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  78. ^ "(Travel) Malaysia". Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  79. ^ "マレーシア (Malaysia)" (in Japanese). Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  80. ^ "Malaysia". Safe Travel. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  81. ^ "(Travel Notices) Situation in Eastern Sabah". Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore. Archived from the original on 2 October 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  82. ^ "한국대사관, IS 납치 및 테러 위험 경고" (in Korean). Korean Press. 8 October 2014. Archived from the original on 10 May 2017. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  83. ^ "(Risques régionaux spécifiques) Malaisie" (in French). Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland. 20 March 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  84. ^ "馬來西亞 - 沙巴州東海岸全區,包含古達、山打根、拿篤、仙本那、及斗湖等沿海地區及鄰近島嶼" (in Chinese). Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan). Archived from the original on 14 November 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  85. ^ "(Foreign Travel Advise) Malaysia". Government of the United Kingdom. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  86. ^ "(Country Information) Malaysia". United States Department of State. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  87. ^ Doan Loan (4 May 2016). "Vietnam issues warning over crew abductions off East Sabah and the Philippines". VnExpress. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  88. ^ David Joel Steinberg (1 January 2000). The Philippines: A Singular and a Plural Place. Basic Books. pp. 91–. ISBN 0-8133-3755-0.
  89. ^ James Francis Warren (2007). The Sulu Zone, 1768–1898: The Dynamics of External Trade, Slavery, and Ethnicity in the Transformation of a Southeast Asian Maritime State. NUS Press. pp. 147–. ISBN 978-9971-69-386-2.
  90. ^ George MacDonald Fraser (7 May 2013). Flashman's Lady. Penguin Group US. pp. 254–. ISBN 978-1-101-63386-1.
  91. ^ Vic Hurley (1 October 2010). Swish of the Kris, the Story of the Moros, Authorized and Enhanced Edition. Cerberus Books. pp. 203–. ISBN 978-0-615-38242-5.
  92. ^ a b Greg Poulgrain (1998). The Genesis of Konfrontasi: Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, 1945–1965. C. Hurst & Co. Publishers. pp. 177–. ISBN 978-1-85065-513-8.
  93. ^ a b c d Sina Frank (May 2006). "Project Mahathir: 'Extraordinary' Population Growth in Sabah (The History of Illegal Immigration to Sabah)" (PDF). Im Fokus. German Institute of Global and Area Studies. pp. 72 and 73 / 2 and 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 November 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  94. ^ Paul F. Whitman (2002). "The Corregidor Massacre - 1968". Corregidor Historic Society. Archived from the original on 13 September 2015. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  95. ^ Acram Latiph (13 March 2013). "Sabah – the question that won't go away". New Mandala. Archived from the original on 23 September 2016. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  96. ^ Rommel Banlaoi (13 October 2009). Philippine Security in the Age of Terror: National, Regional, and Global Challenges in the Post-9/11 World. CRC Press. pp. 49–. ISBN 978-1-4398-1551-9.
  97. ^ Andrew Tian Huat Tan (1 January 2004). Security Perspectives of the Malay Archipelago: Security Linkages in the Second Front in the War on Terrorism. Edward Elgar. ISBN 978-1-84376-997-2.
  98. ^ "Sabah fears new influx of Filipinos". New Straits Times. 11 February 1986. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
  99. ^ a b Eddy Hiew (28 October 1986). "Refugees not being victimised, says UNHCR". New Straits Times. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
  100. ^ a b "Solving the Filipino refugee problem". New Straits Times. Bernama. 13 September 1986. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
  101. ^ a b Kamal Sadiq (2 December 2008). Paper Citizens: How Illegal Immigrants Acquire Citizenship in Developing Countries. Oxford University Press. pp. 47–. ISBN 978-0-19-970780-5.
  102. ^ Examiner. L.O. Ty. 1979.
     • "Deal sealed but to most Filipinos, Malaysia is home". The Star. 9 October 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
     • "Uncertainty at Sabah's Kinarut settlement". The Brunei Times. The Star/Asia News Network. 7 December 2014. Archived from the original on 16 December 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
     • Paul Mu (7 December 2014). "Berjaya govt let 73,000 refugees into Sabah". New Sabah Times. Archived from the original on 16 December 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  103. ^ "Apakah Pas IMM 13" [What Is IMM 13 Pass?] (in Malay). Attorney General's Chamber (Malaysia). 11 July 2012. Archived from the original on 31 January 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  104. ^ Jia Vern Tham (26 December 2016). "Why do certain refugees get VIP treatment over others in Malaysia?". cilisos.my. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  105. ^ "RCI: Job opportunities attract illegal immigrants to Sabah". New Straits Times. 3 December 2014. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  106. ^ "Why 'Sultan' is dreaming". Daily Express. 27 March 2013. Archived from the original on 28 March 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  107. ^ "Philippines rebel leader arrested". BBC News. 25 November 2001. Archived from the original on 26 September 2015. Retrieved 26 September 2015. Malaysia's Inspector-General of Police Norian Mai said Mr Misuari and six of his followers were arrested at 3.30 am on Saturday (1930 GMT Friday) on Jampiras island off Sabah state. Manila had ordered his arrest on charges of instigating a rebellion after the government suspended his governorship of an autonomous Muslim region in Mindanao, the ARMM. Although the Philippines has no extradition treaty with Malaysia, the authorities have already made clear that they intend to hand Mr Misuari over to the authorities in Manila as soon as possible. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad had said before the arrest that, although his country had provided support to the rebel group in the past in its bid for autonomy, Mr Misuari had not used his powers correctly. "Therefore, we no longer feel responsible to provide him with any assistance," he said.
  108. ^ "Illegals: Graft, illegal issuance of ICs, councils blamed". Daily Express. 24 June 2014. Archived from the original on 29 June 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  109. ^ "Take stern action on culprits: NGO". Daily Express. 3 November 2015. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  110. ^ "Why the exodus to Sabah continued". Daily Express. 28 October 2016. Archived from the original on 28 October 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  111. ^ Tracy Patrick (1 July 2017). "Indon workers claim replaced by Filipino illegals". Daily Express. Archived from the original on 2 July 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
  112. ^ "Armed group fails to kidnap cage-fish farmer in Semporna". The Borneo Post. 8 July 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  113. ^ "New tactic – sneaking into Sabah in smaller groups". Daily Express. 27 September 2016. Archived from the original on 28 September 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  114. ^ "Sabah abductions since 2000: A timeline". The Malay Mail. 19 September 2016. Archived from the original on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  115. ^ "Heirs of Sultan of Sulu pursue Sabah claim on their own". Philippine Daily Inquirer. 16 February 2013. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  116. ^ Mike Frialde (23 February 2013). "Sultanate of Sulu wants Sabah returned to Phl". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  117. ^ "Dakwaan anggota tentera terbunuh hanya taktik musuh – Panglima Tentera Darat" [Allegation of a military personnel been killed are only enemy tactics - Army Chief] (in Malay). Astro Awani. 12 August 2013. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  118. ^ Najiah Najib (30 December 2013). "Lahad Datu invasion: A painful memory of 2013". Astro Awani. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  119. ^ a b Zhuang Pinghui (31 May 2014). "Chinese tourist kidnapped in Malaysia is rescued by security forces". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  120. ^ Farik Zolkepli (11 January 2014). "Another Sabah intrusion warded off". The Star. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  121. ^ Stephanie Lee (10 July 2014). "Filipino gunmen free kidnapped Chinese fish farm manager". The Star. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  122. ^ a b "Abu Sayyaf frees Malaysian hostage in Philippines despite massive military campaign". Mindanao Examiner. 10 December 2014. Archived from the original on 11 December 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  123. ^ Muguntan Vanar (16 June 2014). "Kunak kidnap: Filipino gunmen kidnap fish breeder, worker in Sabah east coast". The Star. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  124. ^ "Extremists threaten to kill Malaysian hostage". Gulf Times. 30 September 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  125. ^ Muguntan Vanar (13 July 2014). "Mabul attack: Massive hunt for gunmen after cop killed, another feared kidnapped during shootout". The Star. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  126. ^ "Abu Sayyaf frees kidnapped policeman". Free Malaysia Today. 7 March 2015. Archived from the original on 7 March 2015. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  127. ^ "Filipino pirates shoot Vietnamese fishermen off Malay coast". Thanh Nien News. 17 October 2014. Archived from the original on 24 August 2016. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  128. ^ Tuan Minh (17 October 2014). "Vietnamese vessel attacked in Malaysia". Hanoi Times. Archived from the original on 5 November 2015. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  129. ^ "Kidnapping incident in Sabah recurs". The Borneo Post. 16 May 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  130. ^ "Police: Abu Sayyaf linked to Sabah kidnap". GMA News. 15 May 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  131. ^ "Sabah hostage released by Abu Sayyaf gunmen". The Star/Asia News Network. Philippine Daily Inquirer. 9 November 2015. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  132. ^ Muguntan Vanar; Stephanie Lee (17 November 2015). "Malaysian hostage Bernard Then beheaded". The Star. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
  133. ^ "Demand for higher ransom led to beheading". The Star. 17 November 2015. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
  134. ^ "Philippines: Two militants linked to sailor abductions killed". The Malay Mail. Agence France-Presse. 27 September 2016. Archived from the original on 7 August 2019. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  135. ^ Muguntan Vanar; Stephanie Lee (28 September 2016). "Muktadil Brothers gunned down in surprise raid on Sulu island". The Star. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  136. ^ Muguntan Vanar (30 September 2016). "Last of Muktadil brothers killed". The Star. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  137. ^ Nancy Lai; Margaret Ringgit (3 April 2016). "Four Sarawakians kidnapped". The Borneo Post. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  138. ^ "4 Malaysians released by Abu Sayyaf: Philippine military". Channel NewsAsia. 8 June 2016. Archived from the original on 11 June 2016. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  139. ^ Arief Setyadi (16 April 2016). "Kapal Indonesia Kembali Dibajak, 4 WNI Diculik & 1 Ditembak" [Indonesian Ship Hijacked Again, 4 Indonesian Citizens Kidnapped & 1 Shot] (in Indonesian). Okezone. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  140. ^ Ina Parlina; Tama Salim (12 May 2016). "Abu Sayyaf releases four remaining RI hostages". The Jakarta Post. Archived from the original on 13 May 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  141. ^ "Armed Men Kidnap Three Indonesians Off Sabah Coast". Jakarta Globe. 10 July 2016. Archived from the original on 16 October 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  142. ^ "5 Malaysian crewmen kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf: Philippine official". Channel NewsAsia. 20 July 2016. Archived from the original on 23 July 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  143. ^ Heru (7 August 2016). "Govt confirms one more Indonesian abducted in Malaysian water". Antara. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  144. ^ Teresa Cerojano (18 August 2016). "Second Indonesian sailor manages to escape Abu Sayyaf captors". The Associated Press. CTV News. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  145. ^ Samhati Bhattacharjya (11 September 2016). "Filipino militants kidnap three fishermen in Sabah waters". International Business Times. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  146. ^ Charles Ramendran (11 September 2016). "Gunmen kidnaps 3 Filipino fishermen near Pulau Pom Pom". The Sun. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  147. ^ "Three Indonesians abducted in Sabah waters freed by militant Abu Sayyaf group". New Straits Times. Reuters. 18 September 2016. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 18 September 2016.
  148. ^ "Police believe Filipino group raided Sabah twice in same night". The Malay Mail. 28 September 2016. Archived from the original on 29 September 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  149. ^ Muguntan Vanar (1 October 2016). "Fishing boat owner freed by Filipino abductors". The Star. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  150. ^ "Abu Sayyaf frees Indonesia tugboat trio after three months in captivity". The Japan Times. Associated Press. 3 October 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  151. ^ Muguntan Vanar (14 October 2016). "Fisherman shot and injured by gunmen off Sabah island". The Star. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  152. ^ "Police probing gun attack against fishing boat in northern Sabah". The Malay Mail. 14 October 2016. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  153. ^ "Foreign gunmen spare 9 at sea". Daily Express. 28 October 2016. Archived from the original on 28 October 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  154. ^ Stephanie Lee (31 October 2016). "Possible kidnapping attempt foiled off Sabah waters by Esscom". The Star. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  155. ^ "Two Indonesian fishing boat skippers abducted in Sabah". The Straits Times. The Star/Asia News Network. 5 November 2016. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  156. ^ Awang Ali Omar (7 November 2016). "Report: German kidnapped, girlfriend killed as Abu Sayyaf storm yacht off Sabah waters". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  157. ^ "[Female companion found dead in Sulu] ASG claims abducting German off Sabah". GMA News. 7 November 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  158. ^ Manuel Mogato; Martin Petty; Kim Coghill (20 November 2016). "Philippines tries to intercept bandits as more fishermen snatched off Sabah". The Star. Reuters. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  159. ^ Fernan Marasigan (17 October 2016). "Use all 'tools of war' vs Abu Sayyaf". The Manila Times. Archived from the original on 19 October 2016. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  160. ^ RJ Rosalado (7 March 2017). "Abu Sayyaf death toll rises to 30 – military". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  161. ^ "Vietnamese cargo ship rescued in Malaysia". Vietnam News Agency. Vietnam Net. 8 March 2017. Archived from the original on 12 March 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  162. ^ "Philippines: Troops rescue 2 Malaysians kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf militants". Asian Correspondent. Reuters. 23 March 2017. Archived from the original on 28 March 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  163. ^ "Three more Malaysians rescued from Abu Sayyaf". The Star/Asia News Network. AsiaOne. 27 March 2017. Archived from the original on 27 March 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  164. ^ Carol RH Malasig (6 April 2017). "Sabah kidnap-free since December due to PH-Malaysia cooperation". Rappler. Retrieved 7 April 2017.
  165. ^ Colin Forsythe; Ismira Lutfia Tisnadibrata (6 April 2017). "Malaysia Set to Launch Joint Sea Patrols with Indonesia, Philippines". Benar News. Retrieved 7 April 2017.
  166. ^ "20 abduction cases, 5 kidnapping bids between 2000 and 2016 in Sabah". The Borneo Post. 18 April 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  167. ^ "Abu Sayyaf plot to kidnap tourists from Sabah islands foiled". The Star. TNP. 19 April 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  168. ^ "Indonesian fishermen kidnapped off Malaysia's Sabah state". Xinhua News Agency. 11 September 2018. Archived from the original on 11 September 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  169. ^ Stephanie Lee (18 June 2019). "Sabah cops: All 10 kidnapped are sea gypsies". The Star. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  170. ^ Elton Gomes (22 June 2019). "9 of 10 fishermen kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf released, police confirm". The Borneo Post. Archived from the original on 7 August 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  171. ^ "Two men killed in shootout with police in Sabah waters". Bernama. Channel NewsAsia. 4 September 2019. Archived from the original on 5 September 2019. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  172. ^ "2 killed in failed Sabah intrusion". The Manila Times. 4 September 2019. Archived from the original on 5 September 2019. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  173. ^ Ali Nufael (4 September 2019). "Malaysia: Two Suspected Abu Sayyaf Members Killed in Shootout". Benar News. Archived from the original on 5 September 2019. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  174. ^ Julia Chan (2 September 2019). "Sabah on guard after Indonesia alleges Abu Sayyaf hunting for hostages". The Malay Mail. Archived from the original on 5 September 2019. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  175. ^ Borneo. Ediz. Inglese. Lonely Planet. 2008. pp. 26–. ISBN 978-1-74059-105-8.
  176. ^ Roy Goh (13 October 2014). "More assets to enhance security in Sabah". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  177. ^ "Curfew for Sabah's east coast after spate of kidnappings". The Straits Times. 17 July 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  178. ^ "Sabah security officials to assess threat on tiny settlements". The Star/Asia News Network. asiaone. 19 August 2014. Archived from the original on 22 August 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  179. ^ "Harris: Shift RMAF base to Tawau, not Labuan". Daily Express. 3 November 2014. Archived from the original on 7 November 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  180. ^ "Sabah's Safety Concern Should Be For Whole State – Liow". Bernama. 15 July 2014. Archived from the original on 17 July 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  181. ^ "12 boats for ESSCom from U.S." Bernama. Astro Awani. 28 February 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  182. ^ "12 boats from US for Sabah security command". Free Malaysia Today. 28 February 2015. Archived from the original on 24 February 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  183. ^ Julia Chan (19 September 2016). "Esscom's sea of troubles". The Malay Mail. Archived from the original on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  184. ^ Muguntan Vanar; Philip Golingai; Danial Albakri (3 September 2017). "Abu Sayyaf militants caught in KL". The Star. Archived from the original on 10 September 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  185. ^ "Sabah kidnappers may have had inside help". The Standard. 4 March 2014. Archived from the original on 6 November 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
  186. ^ Allan Nawal (5 November 2015). "Malaysian employers warned in hiring Filipino, foreign staff". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on 5 November 2015. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  187. ^ Ainur Rohmah (27 September 2016). "Indonesia suspects 'spy' helping Abu Sayyaf abductions". Anadolu Agency. Archived from the original on 28 September 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  188. ^ Amy Chew (18 September 2018). "Sabah residents fear illegal immigrants helping kidnappers after recent case". Channel NewsAsia. Archived from the original on 18 September 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  189. ^ Rizki Akbar Hasan (18 September 2018). "Imigran Gelap Filipina Terlibat dalam Kasus Penculikan 2 Nelayan WNI di Sabah?" [Filipino Illegal Immigrants Involved in Kidnapping Case of 2 Indonesian Fishermen in Sabah?] (in Indonesian). Liputan6. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  190. ^ "'Don't use P'pine names for kampungs in Sabah'". Daily Express. 4 November 2015. Archived from the original on 5 November 2015. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  191. ^ Zam Yusa (20 September 2018). "Filipino illegals here played role in kidnapping: Esscom". Daily Express. Archived from the original on 13 January 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  192. ^ "Police to propose banning barter trade in Sabah". Bernama. Sabah Ports Authority. Archived from the original on 16 May 2016. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  193. ^ "Review barter system between Sabah and southern Philippines: Ahmad Zahid". Bernama. The Sun. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
  194. ^ "Basilan officials urge closer Mindanao-Sabah relations, expresses concern on proposed barter trade ban". Department of Foreign Affairs, Philippines. 1 June 2015. Archived from the original on 16 May 2016. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  195. ^ Nancy Lai; Murib Morpi; Jenne Lajiun (20 April 2016). "Barter trade ban hotly debated". The Borneo Post. Archived from the original on 16 May 2016. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  196. ^ "Sabah closes eastern borders to stop kidnapping menace". The Straits Times. 7 April 2016. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  197. ^ Budi Satriawan; Manuel Mogato; Fergus Jensen; Robert Birsel (5 May 2016). "Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia to coordinate against militant pirates". Reuters. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  198. ^ Francis Mangosing (3 October 2016). "Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia agree on joint air patrols". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  199. ^ "Former CM's nephew killed over salary". The Borneo Post. 3 March 2015. Archived from the original on 16 April 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  200. ^ "Four arrested; pistol, 39 bullets seized in Telipok". New Straits Times. Bernama. 22 February 2016. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  201. ^ "Filipino, daughter held". Daily Express. 23 September 2016. Archived from the original on 24 September 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  202. ^ Muzliza Mustafa (7 October 2016). "Malaysia Nabs 10 on Suspicion of Passing Information to Abu Sayyaf Group". Benar News. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  203. ^ "Three gunmen shot dead during kidnapping attempt in Sabah waters". The Malay Mail. Bernama. 8 December 2016. Archived from the original on 10 December 2016. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
  204. ^ Roel Pareño (10 December 2016). "Abu Sayyaf kidnapping leader killed in Sabah". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  205. ^ Ashwin Kumar (12 December 2016). "Two gunmen shot dead by police in Sabah (Updated)". The Sun. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  206. ^ Olivia Miwil (12 December 2016). "Cache of weapons seized from two men shot dead in Eastern Sabah". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  207. ^ "Penjenayah Ditembak Mati Di Kunak Terbabit Kes Dadah, Penyeludupan Dan Rompakan Bersenjata" [Criminals Shot Dead in Kunak Involved in Drug, Smuggling and Armed Robbery Cases] (in Malay). Bernama. 12 December 2016. Archived from the original on 13 December 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  208. ^ "Sabah cops looking for link between dead armed robbers and wanted kidnap group". The Malay Mail. 12 December 2016. Archived from the original on 13 December 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  209. ^ "Armed drug dealers killed in shootout with police in Malaysia". South China Morning Post. The Star. 13 December 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  210. ^ "Filipino kills Sabahan, injures four others in Kudat". The Malay Mail. 30 December 2016. Archived from the original on 16 May 2017. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
  211. ^ "Filipino just out of jail is shot over attack". Daily Express. 8 January 2016. Archived from the original on 8 January 2017. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  212. ^ Aaron Lee (3 April 2017). "Man shot dead near KK after running amok, stabbing wife, policeman". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2017.
  213. ^ "Filipino who stabbed wife shot dead". Daily Express. 4 April 2017. Archived from the original on 7 April 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2017.
  214. ^ "Charged with supporting Abu Sayyaf". Daily Express. 6 April 2017. Archived from the original on 7 April 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2017.
  215. ^ "Man stabbed in attack by eight in Penampang". The Borneo Post. 16 April 2017. Archived from the original on 16 April 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  216. ^ Aaron Lee (16 May 2017). "Sabah police probing presence of 5 heavily armed men at Felda Sahabat". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
  217. ^ "Police receive false report over sighting of armed men in Lahad Datu - Sabah CPO". Bernama. Astro Awani. 17 May 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  218. ^ Aaron Lee (17 May 2017). "Police now sceptical over report of heavily-armed men in Lahad Datu". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  219. ^ Stephanie Lee (19 May 2017). "Cops arrest illegal immigrant who reported armed men sighting in Sabah". The Star. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  220. ^ Jo Ann Mool (18 May 2017). "Jailed for attempted assault". Daily Express. Archived from the original on 18 May 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  221. ^ "Man holds woman hostage in two-hour standoff with police in Malaysia". The Straits Times. 11 May 2017. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
  222. ^ "Police successfully end hostage drama in KK (VIDEO)". The Malay Mail. 10 May 2017. Archived from the original on 10 May 2017. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
  223. ^ Avila Geraldine (11 May 2017). "KK hostage drama: Knife-wielding man was high on drugs". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
  224. ^ Nikko Fabian (18 May 2017). "Drop in Filipinos heading to Sabah". Daily Express. Archived from the original on 18 May 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  225. ^ "Deported Filipino returns to Tawau to commit armed robbery". The Malay Mail. Bernama. 14 November 2017. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  226. ^ Fardy Bungga (14 February 2018). "Penjenayah mati ditembak miliki 17 rekod samun" [Criminal shot dead has 17 robbery records] (in Malay). Berita Harian. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  227. ^ "Cops seek to determine if kidnap group was involved in trawler shooting". The Star. 24 February 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  228. ^ Lagatah Toyos (28 February 2018). "Trio linked to terrorism die in Tawau shootout". Daily Express. Archived from the original on 8 May 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  229. ^ Natasha Joibi (8 May 2018). "Four gunmen shot dead off Lahad Datu waters". The Star. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  230. ^ Junaidi Ladjana (21 September 2018). "(Update) Two gunmen shot dead off Sabah waters". New Straits Times. Yahoo! News Singapore. Archived from the original on 28 October 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  231. ^ "Revolver, live bullets among items found at Filipino refugee settlement". Bernama. The Sun. 24 December 2018. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  232. ^ Muguntan Vanar (28 December 2018). "Armed man killed in shootout with Lahad Datu cops". The Star. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  233. ^ Sean Lim (13 January 2019). "Man shot dead after holding 2-year-old girl at knifepoint for 5 hours in Sabah apartment – here's what we know". Business Insider Malaysia. Archived from the original on 14 January 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  234. ^ "Identity of dead hostage-taker in Telipok yet to be ascertained: police". New Straits Times. 14 January 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  235. ^ "Hostage taker's identity still unknown, say Sabah police". The Malaysian Insight. 14 January 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  236. ^ Jason Santos (13 January 2019). "Sabahans take to social media to air frustration over Telipok crime". The Malaysian Insight. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  237. ^ Tracy Patrick (28 January 2019). "More crimes involving foreigners in Sabah, warns Upko". Free Malaysia Today. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  238. ^ "Police hunting for man who slashed Aussie". Daily Express. 26 January 2019. Archived from the original on 30 January 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  239. ^ Sherell Jeffrey (26 January 2019). "Culprit must be caught: Aussie mum". Daily Express. Archived from the original on 30 January 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  240. ^ R. Gonzales (15 February 2019). "Suspect behind Aussie slashing arrested". Daily Express. Archived from the original on 17 February 2019. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  241. ^ Jo Ann Mool (29 March 2019). "Bid to murder Aussie: Filipino jailed 13 years". Daily Express. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  242. ^ Junaidi Ladjana (28 May 2019). "Missing Grab driver robbed, murdered; two suspects arrested". New Straits Times. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  243. ^ Jo Ann Mool (11 June 2019). "Grab driver's murder: 2 charged". Daily Express. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  244. ^ "Four Filipino teens arrested for murder of food vendor in Tawau". The Malay Mail. Bernama. 11 June 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  245. ^ "12 held following two separate brawls in Sabah". The Malay Mail. Bernama. 13 June 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  246. ^ Muguntan Vanar (10 June 2019). "Ranau folk told to stay calm as cops hunt foreign suspects after clash". The Star. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  247. ^ "Sabah police call for calm after clash between locals and foreigners". The Star. 11 June 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  248. ^ Clarence GD; Lagatah Toyos; Del Roester Rudim; Oliver Voon (12 June 2019). "IGP must pay attention to Sabah". Daily Express. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  249. ^ Nikko Fabian (16 June 2019). "Call for life travel ban on Filipino criminals". Daily Express. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  250. ^ Sherell Jeffrey (11 June 2019). "Foreign beggars on rise in KK". Daily Express. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  251. ^ "Sabah prisons have exceeded capacity". Daily Express. 11 June 2019. Archived from the original on 17 June 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  252. ^ Nikko Fabian (11 June 2019). "Filipinos blame embassy for their lengthy detention in Sabah". Daily Express. Archived from the original on 17 June 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  253. ^ "Kidnappings off Sabah not the whole story, says academic". Free Malaysia Today. 16 December 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
  254. ^ "Sabah unsafe if water villages not demolished: Dr M". Daily Express. 17 July 2014. Archived from the original on 17 July 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  255. ^ "UNHCR Sabah office to close". New Straits Times. 17 April 1987. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  256. ^ "Shut Kinarut Refugee Camp, says Rosnah". New Sabah Times. Archived from the original on 6 November 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  257. ^ "Sabah MPs urge govt to resolve immigrant issue". The Brunei Times. Bernama. 14 May 2008. Archived from the original on 25 February 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  258. ^ "Moro refugees, immigrants in Sabah should return, develop homeland – Kurup". The Borneo Post. Bernama. 21 January 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  259. ^ "Kurup: Sabahans oppose Project IC". Free Malaysia Today. 1 November 2015. Archived from the original on 5 November 2015. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  260. ^ "Closure of Filipino refugee camps in Malaysia sought". GMA Network. 19 April 2007. Archived from the original on 29 March 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  261. ^ Yong Teck Lee (2 February 2002). "SCRAP FERRY SERVICES: YONG". Sabah.org.my. Archived from the original on 29 March 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  262. ^ Jennifer Gomez (29 October 2014). "Zahid looks to tribunal for answer to Sabah's stateless children". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 7 November 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  263. ^ "Sabah leaders seeing red over issuance of birth certs to stateless children". The Rakyat Post. 31 October 2014. Archived from the original on 4 May 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  264. ^ "Future generations to bear consequences of foolish 'humane' decision, says PKR lawmaker". The Rakyat Post. 31 October 2014. Archived from the original on 13 July 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  265. ^ "Issuing BCs to stateless kids only worsens illegals problem in Sabah". The Rakyat Post. 3 November 2014. Archived from the original on 4 May 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  266. ^ Michael Teh (2 November 2014). "Jeffrey calls for different birth cert for foreign children". New Sabah Times. Archived from the original on 7 November 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  267. ^ "Charles: Sistem pendidikan terbeban jika anak tanpa kerakyatan diberi sijil lahir" [Charles: The education system is burdened if children without citizenship are given birth certificates]. New Sabah Times (in Malay). 6 November 2014. Archived from the original on 7 November 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  268. ^ "RCI: Large amount spent on food, education, healthcare of illegal immigrants". New Straits Times. 3 December 2014. Archived from the original on 19 January 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  269. ^ Sandra Sokial (22 July 2015). "10,000 squatter homes in Sabah using electricity illegally". The Rakyat Post. Archived from the original on 10 May 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  270. ^ Awang Ali Omar (24 October 2016). "Electricity theft in squatter areas spells huge losses for Sabah". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  271. ^ Tracy Patrick (26 February 2017). "Sleepless nights for Likas residents as thieves get bolder". Daily Express. Archived from the original on 27 February 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  272. ^ "Seaweed industry dying due to kidnappings". Daily Express. 16 July 2016. Archived from the original on 16 July 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  273. ^ Julia Chan (10 November 2014). "Illegal immigrants, crime shattering peace in Sabah's villages, state reps say". The Malay Mail. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  274. ^ Avila Geraldine (4 November 2014). "Birth certificates issued to Sabah born foreign children do not make them Malaysians". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  275. ^ Ruben Sario (6 November 2014). "DNA tests to help certify genuine Malaysians in late birth registrations". The Star. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  276. ^ Ruben Sario; Stephanie Lee (16 November 2014). "Najib: Children of stateless individuals born in Sabah to get special birth document". The Star. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  277. ^ Stephanie Lee (17 November 2014). "Najib: Form is visually different from certificate". The Star. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  278. ^ "RCI: UPKO to propose solutions on influx of illegal immigrants". New Straits Times. 3 December 2014. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  279. ^ "Stop people receiving Sulu Sultan awards". Daily Express. 7 November 2014. Archived from the original on 7 November 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  280. ^ "Leaders laud new measures on illegals". Daily Express. 14 December 2014. Archived from the original on 15 December 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  281. ^ "RCI only after much pressure from the people: Bumburing". Daily Express. 14 December 2014. Archived from the original on 15 December 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  282. ^ a b "Manila to blame, says PBS". Daily Express. 15 December 2014. Archived from the original on 15 December 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  283. ^ a b "Emulate Indonesian govt in taking care of citizens in Sabah, Philippine leaders told". The Rakyat Post. 16 December 2014. Archived from the original on 8 April 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  284. ^ Muguntan Vanar (16 February 2016). "Sabah aims to end squatter problem". The Star. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  285. ^ "PH, Malaysia put Sabah dispute on 'back burner'". ABS-CBN News. 10 November 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  286. ^ Pia Ranada (11 November 2016). "PH, Malaysia agree on repatriation of Filipinos in Sabah". Rappler. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  287. ^ Julia Chan (24 November 2016). "Sabah to discuss hospital, school for Filipinos". The Malay Mail. Archived from the original on 24 November 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  288. ^ Awang Ali Omar (23 November 2016). "More than half a million immigrants deported from Sabah since 1990". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  289. ^ "Sabah government to submit recommendations to move refugee placement schemes". Bernama. The Sun. 24 November 2016. Archived from the original on 8 April 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  290. ^ "Sabah steps up enforcement against illegal immigrants". The Star. 9 March 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  291. ^ "Man Who Illegally Changed 22 Sulu Citizenships Faces 156 Years Imprisonment". Malaysian Digest. 3 March 2017. Archived from the original on 3 March 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  292. ^ Nikko Fabian (16 April 2017). "Palawan plans to set up business office in Sabah". Daily Express. Archived from the original on 16 April 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  293. ^ Nef Luczon (28 December 2018). "MinDA pushes for Sabah consular office". Philippine News Agency. Archived from the original on 29 December 2018. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  294. ^ Nikko Fabian (20 April 2017). "Sabah Filipinos hope for better consular services". Daily Express. Archived from the original on 20 April 2017. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  295. ^ "Sabah trades cautiously with the Philippines due to security situation". The Malay Mail. Bernama. 4 June 2017. Archived from the original on 20 September 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  296. ^ "Temporary Sabah Pass shows Home Ministry's earnestness, says Liew". Bernama. The Sun. 7 September 2019. Archived from the original on 8 September 2019. Retrieved 8 September 2019.
  297. ^ Larry Ralon (27 August 2019). "New barter trade system". Daily Express. Archived from the original on 8 September 2019. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  298. ^ "Sabah to launch barter trade system for non-subsidised cooking oil products, says CM". The Malay Mail. Bernama. 24 August 2019. Archived from the original on 8 September 2019. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  299. ^ "Locsin says as netizens press him on territory issues". ABS-CBN News. 20 April 2019. Archived from the original on 8 September 2019. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  300. ^ "Locsin: Setting up Sabah embassy an act of 'treason'". ABS-CBN News. 20 April 2019. Archived from the original on 8 September 2019. Retrieved 9 September 2019.