Lahad Datu: Fighter jets take to the skies, again

Several fighter jets were seen flying over Felda Sahabat at about 8.35am Thursday.

The aircraft are believed to be heading toward Kampung Tanduo and Kampung Tanjung Batu where Sulu gunmen have been involved in firefights with Malaysian security forces.

Howevr, no explosions were heard at ground zero.

An armed group of about 150 Filipino intruders, supporters of self-proclaimed Sultan of Sulu Jamalul Kiram III who claims Sabah, landed in Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu, on Feb 9 and began a stand-off with Malaysian security forces on Feb 12.

Tuesday's all out air and ground strikes against the group came after they refused to surrender despite repeated deadlines and eight Malaysian police commandos have been killed in clashes with the group.

The intruders are believed to be led by self-styled Raja Muda Azzimudie Kiram who was an assistant district officer of Kudat in the early 1970s.

He has many relatives living in Lahad Datu, Semporna and Sandakan.

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Lahad Datu: Cops arrest four men suspected to be linked to armed intruders

Police have arrested four men believed to be linked to the armed intruders involved in the ambush in Kampung Sri Jaya, Simunul here last Saturday.

The four men, aged between 20 and 50 years, were arrested in a special operation mounted by a team of policemen from the Sabah Police Special Investigation Department.

According to a police spokesman, the operation which took place in Jalan Lapangan Terbang, five kilometres from Semporna town Wednesday, was aimed at tracking down the intruders currently impersonating villagers in several areas in Semporna.

"Acting on a public tip-off and intelligence findings, we managed to arrest the four men to facilitate further investigation," he said.

The operation, which began at noon ended at 1.15pm.

A check found two houses were searched by the police where two of the suspects were arrested.

The third suspect was nabbed while coming out from a nearby bush and the fourth suspect was detained after being spotted behaving suspiciously in a vehicle.

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Defending our honour and sovereignty

It was a defining moment whose time had come. When our men went out in full force to reclaim the ground that foreign intruders had occupied since Feb 9, it was, as the Prime Minister rightly puts it, “in defence of the country's honour and sovereignty.”

We had been extremely patient in dealing with the hundred-plus followers of the Sulu Sultan encamped at Kampung Tanduo, outside Felda Sahabat 17, about 160km from Lahad Datu. It was our wish to negotiate a peaceful settlement that would have prevented any bloodshed.

But our patience was sorely tested, as deadline after deadline passed, until blood was spilled. We lost two of our men in a 30-minute skirmish on March 1, with 12 lives lost on the other side.

And in a separate, but related incident the following day, six of our brave men were killed in an ambush by Sulu gunmen in Kampung Simunul in Semporna.

Our action yesterday was an option that was necessary, though it must have weighed heavy on the minds of those who gave the go-ahead.

It is easy for those who are not in the thick of the happenings on the ground to give their opinions on what can or should be done. But let us not, for one moment, equate a desire for peace to the lack of courage to fight.

Today, we salute our brave men who defended our honour and our sovereignty. And we thank God that there were no further casualties on our side. But as we look forward, let us also take a moment to reflect on the events in recent weeks.

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Are we really facing cyberwar?

A few weeks ago I was standing by a railway track in the small town of Gaithersburg in Maryland as a CSX freight train blasted through the level crossing; its horn blaring and bells sounding out a warning.

Passengers may have largely deserted America's rails but freight trains remain vital to America's economic well-being.

Like most other pieces of modern infrastructure the railways are controlled by complex digital systems. And there are growing fears that these computers could fall prey to cyber-attack, as could all the other electronic support systems on which modern society now depends.

Last year the then US defence secretary Leon Panetta spoke of the possibility of a possible "digital Pearl Harbor"; a massive attack that might target US transport infrastructure and utilities.

Just a few weeks ago in his State of the Union address President Barack Obama added his own warning.

"We know hackers steal people's identities and infiltrate private emails," he said. "We know foreign countries and companies swipe our corporate secrets," he went on, "now our enemies are also seeking the ability to sabotage our power grid, our financial institutions, our air traffic control systems."

Key services

Hundreds of private companies are springing up to respond to the possibility of a digital doomsday.

The stakes are high as Shawn Henry told me. "Other than a weapon of mass destruction going off in a major city," he says, "the cyber-threat is one of the most significant challenges that we face."

Mr Henry is a former executive assistant director of the FBI - he was responsible for its cyber-investigations worldwide.

He is now president of Crowdstrike, a company which helps firms protect against hackers.

"Everything we do day-to-day relies on cyber-communications," he said.

"All of our data that's being pushed to the network or financial services sector, our critical infrastructure, our electric power grid, our water systems.

"We know with certainty that there are groups that are actively seeking to target and harm the western world through attacks on the cyber-network.

"If that happens I think we are going to suffer some significant consequences."

Hurricane Katrina in 2005 showed how quickly a sophisticated society can start to break down once key services are destroyed. The Secretary of Homeland Security at the time of the hurricane, Michael Chertoff, told me that the threat from cyber-attack is very real.

He said: "Even now as we speak there are millions of attacks every day on infrastructure, simply stealing information or stealing intellectual property.

"Now, the same capability that allows somebody to do that is a capability that allows someone to be destructive. So yes it is a distinct possibility that systems that are connected to the internet, if they control operations, could be damaged or destroyed."

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Lahad Datu assault was first large scale operations between police and armed forces

The assault in Lahad Datu is the first ever large scale joint-operation between the police and the armed Forces.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the Armed Forces used three units of F-18, five units of Hawks in the attack along with ground forces compromising of police and Armed Forces personnel.

“It is the first time the armed Forces and police were cooperating in such magnitude.

“It is for the safety and security for all Malaysians,” he said at a press conference in Felda Sahabat, Lahad Datu.

Despite the attack, Dr Ahmad Zahid said good bilateral relations between Malaysia and the Philippine was preserved.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said the Malaysian security forces had not recorded any casualty.

 

TheStar

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Sabah is safe for tourists

Tourists are still safe in Sabah, minister Datuk Seri Ng Yen Yen assured today, saying the armed standoff between Malaysian security forces and Filipinio militants in Lahad Datu have not affected the rest of the east Malaysian state.

“There are army officers guarding the islands like Sipadan who have been there all this time,” The Star Online quoted Ng as telling a press conference at the Malaysia International Tourism Bloggers Conference and Awards today.

The minister added that reports from Malaysia Airlines show that tourists are still coming to Malaysia but those headed to Sabah have changed their destinations, opting for other tourist spots like Langkawi.

The Malaysian Insider understands that the deadly clashes with the southern Filipinos have spooked both Sabahans and tourists, with taxi drivers and hotel workers reporting a 20 per cent drop in tourism in Kota Kinabalu.

Tourists who wish to fly to Lahad Datu from Kuala Lumpur to visit the Danum Valley Conservation Area have to stop at Kota Kinabalu before taking another flight here.

Kota Kinabalu residents have also been stocking up on food, fearing the Sulu intrusion that has spread across three districts in the eastern coast of Sabah.

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WIRA-WIRA NEGARA, JASA DAN PENGORBANAN MU DI KENANG

1. 

Barisan perwira yang gugur dalam mempertahankan keamanan dan keselamatan negara.

Allahyarham Supt Ibrahim bin Lebar, 52 tahun berasal dari Besut, Terengganu dan bertugas di Cawangan Khas Bukit Aman. Berkelulusan Ijazah Sarjana Muda Sains Sosial dari Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, beliau meninggalkan seorang balu Puan Rosiah bt Dahlan, 52 dan 3 orang anak masing-masing berusia 22, 20 dan 17 tahun. Jenazah dijangka akan dikebumikan di Tanah Perkuburan USJ 20, Subang Jaya pada jam 9.00 malam ini.

Mendiang ASP Michael Padel, 36 tahun berketurunan Bidayuh dan berasal dari Serian, Sarawak. Bertugas di Cawangan Khas IPD Semporna dan meninggalkan seorang balu Puan Jabah a/p Mingku serta seorang anak lelaki berusia 1 tahun. Jenazah mendiang akan dibawa pulang ke Kg Bidayuh, Tebakang, Serian untuk disemadikan.

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Anwar dan Xenephon hanya membisu??

Senator Australia. Xenophone dan ANUwar tak nak komen ape-ape ke? Diam je ke? Sanggup tentera Australia tembak mati dua kanak-kanak Afghanistan yang tak berdosa?? Xenophone sibuk-sibuk nak masuk campur hal-hal pentadbiran politik di Malaysia tapi kat negara sendiri tak nak ambil tahu. Si ANUwar pun satu, dengan orang macam ni nak berbaik? Nak jual negara ke apa? Memang KEJAM!!!

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Live smoke-free life and be rewarded

The public will play a leading role in the government’s fight against second-hand smoke through the Blue Ribbon campaign.

Through the campaign, the Health Ministry hopes to empower and encourage the public to practise a healthy lifestyle and protect their loved ones from second-hand smoke.

For starters, individuals and corporations who voluntarily make their premises smoke-free will be honoured through three awards.

The first is the Blue Ribbon certificate given to any establishment that voluntarily implement indoor and outdoor smoke-free environment. There will be a review every two years.

The Blue Ribbon media award will be conferred to the media for creating awareness on the campaign while the outstanding achievement award will be given to any individual, civil society or organisation who have made significant contributions in initiating and contributing to a smoke-free environment.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said there was a need for a “bottom-up” nationwide movement that would result in a tobacco-free lifestyle.

“We realised that awareness among the public on dangers of second-hand smoke is high, so it is better to work together from bottom-up. I think the impact will be greater.

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Missed call scam targets mobile users

If you receive a missed call from any number beginning with +375, +371 and +081, do not call back.

Police have detected a new “missed call” scam that preys on mobile phone users.

The scam works by giving mob­ile phone users a missed call using the international number.

When a user calls back, he or she will be hit with hefty phone charges.

Federal Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Comm Datuk Syed Ismail Syed Azizan said his department was aware of the scam.

“Based on our initial investigations, mobile phone users will receive a missed-call from +375602605281, +37127913091 and other international phone numbers beginning with +375, +371 and +081.

“When the person calls the number back, they are charged with hefty rates,” he told The Star.

Premium Rate Service is a telephone service that provides recorded information or live conversation for callers.

Callers will only realise they have been slapped with the hefty charges when they get their monthly phone bills.

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Lynas plant one of the safest in the world

The Lynas Advanced Materials Plant in Gebeng has one of the safest facilities compared to similar plants around the world, said White House energy adviser Jack Lifton.

Based on his observation, he said the plant had adhered to guidelines stipulated by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

“I was taken on a tour of the plant on Wednesday to observe its operations.

“The facilities available are up-to-date and meet the requirements of international standard operating procedures.

“This kind of industry is bound to bring in profits and create job opportunities but there will be groups opposing it initially,” he said yesterday at an international seminar on rare earths organised by the Academy of Sciences Malaysia at the Universiti Malaysia Pahang branch campus in Gambang.

Lifton, who has 48 years of experience in the field of lithium and rare earth management, said he was impressed with the facilities at the plant.

“The plant is one of the biggest that I have visited.

“I am confident Malaysia has the potential to be a prime mover in this industry, which was spearheaded by China in the past.

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Analisis: Pencerobohan Lahad Datu Oleh ‘Tentera DiRaja Kesultanan Sulu’

1. Siapakah Yang Menceroboh?
Kumpulan penceroboh yang dikenali sebagai ‘Tentera DiRaja Kesultanan Sulu’ (The Royal Sulu Sultanate Army)1 datang dari Selatan Filipina dan dianggarkan terdiri daripada kira-kira 200-400 orang, dengan 20-100 orang daripada mereka bersenjata2. Kumpulan ini diketuai oleh ‘Raja Muda’ Agbimuddin Kiram, adik kepada ‘mantan sultan’ Jamalul Kiram III dan ‘sultan’ Ismael Kiram II.3 4 Jamalul Kiram III pernah bertanding untuk jawatan senator dalam pilihanraya Filipina.

2. Adakah Kumpulan Penceroboh Ini Mewakili Kesultanan Sulu?
Tidak.
Ini kerana kerajaan Filipina telah berhenti mengiktiraf Sultan Sulu sejak kemangkatan Sultan Mohd. Mahakuttah A. Kiram pada tahun 1986. Kini terdapat dua pihak utama yang mengaku sebagai Sultan Sulu:
Pertama, Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram, anak kepada Sultan Sulu terakhir yang diiktiraf kerajaan Filipina, Sultan Mohd. Mahakuttah A. Kiram. Beliau dilantik sebagai Raja Muda pada hari penabalan bapa beliau sebagai sultan.
Kedua, Ismael Kiram II, abang kepada ketua penceroboh, ‘Raja Muda’ Agbimuddin Kiram.

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Less than 10% of prisoners return to crime

Less than 10% of prisoners in the country are repeat offenders, says Deputy Home Minister Datuk Lee Chee Leong.

He added that the overall rate of repeat offenders was in line with the target set under the Government’s key performance index (KPI).

Lee said the recidivistic rate (habitual relapse into crime) stood at 7.9% as of last year.

“The low number of prisoner relapse was due to the success of the rehabilitation programmes, which were introduced in 2008.

“The programmes have provided the former prisoners with living skills that can help them improve their lives,” Lee said during the Prisons Department (Northern Zone II) Excellence Service Awards 2012 here yesterday.

Lee also said that the community rehabilitation programme between the department and the armed forces for pre-release prisoners had played a crucial role in reducing the recidivistic rate.

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Honest boy finds unwanted fame

When 13-year-old Amir Azizan Hashim returned a handbag with S$15,000 (RM37,500) to the rightful owner, he did not expect to be troubled by the massive media attention that followed.

The SMK Dato Syed Esa student has been hounded for interviews by Malay dailies and Singaporean journalists since the owner, a Singaporean woman, called his school to thank him for his honesty.

“My grandfather is worried about all the media attention,” said the boy who had to be convinced by his teachers to have his picture taken by reporters here yesterday.

Amir was cycling home after buying a newspaper for his mother at a shop in Taman Soga about two months ago when he spotted the woman at a supermarket carpark.

“I saw her placing her handbag on the roof of her car. But then she got into her car and drove off and the handbag fell off the roof.

“I picked up the handbag from the ground and chased after the car on my bicycle. I managed to stop her at a T-junction about 200m away,” he said, adding that inside the bag were a passport and an envelope with the cash.

He said when he showed the woman the handbag, she immediately thanked him and offered him S$10 (RM25) as a token of appreciation but Amir refused the money.

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Soldiers in close encounter with gunmen

A close encounter occurred between the Sulu armed group and Malaysian security forces in the ongoing standoff at Kg Tanduo but both sides held back their fire.

Sulu group leader Raja Muda Azimuddin Kiram said the incident occurred at 5.30pm on Wed­nesday when his men shouted that there were “soldiers” in the area.

He told The Star that the armed men rushed to the area and saw several soldiers about 100m from their positions, but declined to say if any shots were fired.

However, he told the Philippines’ media that there was gunfire.

Villagers here have said that the occasional gunfire they had heard over the past several days could be that of the Sulu gunmen hunting livestock left behind by the 15 families who fled the village.

The group’s supplies have been cut off with a tight land and sea security blockade thrown around the area.

Asked when he expected the standoff to end, Azimuddin said he did not know, adding that Malaysia should negotiate with his brother Sultan Jamalul Kiram III in Manila.

Azimuddin has been freely talking to the media via telephone here and Manila, easily switching between English, Malay, Tausug and Tagalog depending on who was interviewing him.

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Missing boy found playing games at Internet cafe

It’s a happy ending for 12-year-old Mohamad Daniel Haiqal Desa who was reported missing on Monday.

Police found the boy playing video games in an Internet cafe in Seberang Jaya at about 10am yesterday.

Central Seberang Prai OCPD Asst Comm Azman Abd Lah said police, acting on a tip-off, went to the cafe.

“Daniel looked fine and we handed him over to his aunt who lives at Flat Desa Wawasan here,” he said.

ACP Azman declined to say where Mohamad Daniel had gone to since being reported missing from his aunt’s flat.

The Year Six pupil from SK Sungai Rambai was believed to have left the flat with some clothes and cash at about 9.30am on Monday and was last seen riding a bicycle.

Following his disappearance, police set up a task force to look for him and had combed several areas where he frequented.

It was not the first time Mohamed Daniel, who is the second of three siblings, had disappeared from home.

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Malaysia brings Thailand and rebel group to the table

Malaysia after brokering a peace deal between the Philippine Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in October has now brought Thailand and a rebel group to the discussion table.

Thailand and the rebel group Badan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) signed in Kuala Lumpur yesterday a General Consensus Document to Launch a Dialogue Process for Peace in the southern provinces, and agreed to invite Malaysia to be the facilitator.

National Security Council secretary-general Lt Gen Pharadorn Phatthanatabutr represented Thailand while the chief of the BRN liaison office in Malaysia, Hassan Taib, signed for the group.

National Security Council secretary Datuk Mohamed Thajudeen Abdul Wahab witnessed the signing.

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Malaysia would appoint a senior government official to act as the facilitator.

The Prime Minister added: “A series of dialogues will begin in two weeks in Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia will do everything possible to assist in the smooth functioning of the Joint Working Group so that productive discussions can take place in a harmonious atmosphere.

“Malaysia strongly believes that the establishment of peaceful conditions in southern border provinces of Thailand will bring prosperity to the area, including our side of the border.”

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