MANILA, 29 May 2008 — A senior Malaysian politician, furious over a renewed Philippine claims on Sabah, have called for a stricter laws on Filipinos traveling to the oil-rich state.

Sabah Progressive Party president Datuk Yong Teck Lee said the National Security Council should closely watch developments in the southern Philippines with the collapse of the Moro peace deal and release of former rebel leader Nur Misuari, the Malaysia’s Star newspaper reported.

Lee said the withdrawal last month of the Malaysian truce observers from Mindanao was a clear indication of the failure of the peace process involving the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

“Further worries included the rumblings from freed rebel Nur Misuari over the Philippines’ claim to Sabah and the re-grouping of the Moro National Liberation Front,” the Star quouted Lee as saying.

Misuari, who was ousted as MNLF chairman by Muslimin Sema, the Front’s secretary general, wanted the International Court of Justice to settle the Philippine claims on Sabah if Malaysia fails to resolve the issue.

Lee said the National Security Council and the Sabah State Security Committee should act on the problems brought about by the failure of the peace process and Misuari’s revival of the Sabah claims.

Lee said the government should show firm political will and bring in the military, as well as setting up a consulate in Davao, Zamboanga and invite the Philippines to set up a consulate in Sabah.

“Malaysia should use its leverage in international bodies to get the Philippines government to co-operate.

“Malaysia can also suspend the Zamboanga-Sandakan ferry, impose a bond on visitors, require ferry passengers to possess return tickets and step up enforcement at all levels.”

The Sultanate of Sulu lays claim to Sabah. It obtained Sabah from Brunei as a gift for helping put down a rebellion.

The British leased Sabah and transferred control over the territory to Malaysia after the end of World War II. Even after Borneo became part of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur still pays an annual rent of 5,000 ringgit to the heirs of the Sultan of Sulu Ismail Kiram.

Misuari said what Malaysia pays to the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo is but a pittance.

The MNLF, under Misuari, signed a peace deal with Manila in September 1996 later became governor of the Muslim autonomous region, but later accused the government of failing to honor the peace agreement, and his forces attacked major military bases and held civilians hostage in Sulu province and Zamboanga City in November 2001.

He fled to Sabah, his former refuge, but was arrested by Malaysian authorities and sent back to Manila where he is now facing rebellion charges and currently out on bail.

Sema said the issue on Sabah has been a long irritant between the Philippines and Malaysia and he appealed to Misuari not to use this to stir restlessness among local Muslims in Mindanao.

“This has been a very old issue and we don’t want to strain our good relations with Malaysia. The Philippines has in the past approached this old issue with diplomacy and respect to maintain good bilateral relations with Malaysia and we wanted this to continue,” Sema said.