KUALA LUMPUR/COTABATO CITY, 17 December — Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad yesterday said Malaysia will deport rebel leader Nur Misuari to a third country if the Philippines declines to take him back.
"If Manila does not want to accept him, we will be forced to send him to another place," Mahathir told reporters at his official residence in Putrajaya, south of the capital Kuala Lumpur.
Mahathir said Malaysia has no right to detain Misuari since he had not violated any laws, adding that since he has no travel documents, he cannot remain in the country.
The premier said he was not aware if any country had indicated an interest in granting asylum to the renegade Muslim leader.
"I do not know if there is a third country that wants to accept him," Mahathir said.
Mahathir said he has not met the special envoy of President Gloria Arroyo, Norberto Gonzales, who has been dispatched to Malaysia Thursday to arrange the handover of Misuari to Manila.
Misuari has filed for asylum with the UN refugee agency through his lawyer in Washington so that he will not be returned to anywhere that will endanger his freedom and life.
Philippine officials on Saturday said a representative of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) will visit Manila next week to discuss the case Misuari.
Earlier, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) leader Hashim Salamat asked the influential OIC to take custody of Misuari.
"The letter was personally written by Salamat. The MILF (central committee) supports Salamat’s decision," Kabalu said, although noting that the OIC has not officially responded yet.
Salamat asked the OIC to request Malaysia to turn Misuari over to the 57-member Muslim body "so that he could explain what happened" in Mindanao, he added.
