COTABATO CITY, Philippines, 6 September — The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has said the expulsion of Filipino immigrants from Sabah is unfortunate but Malaysia also could not be blamed.
In an interview with Bombo Radyo on Thursday morning, MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said the separatist group recognizes “the right of Malaysia and any government for that matter, to impose restrictions … (or) to drive away” illegal aliens from its territory.
This is not to say that the MILF does not care for the Filipino deportees, most of whom are Muslims who fled to Sabah at the height of the Moro rebellion led by Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in the early 70’s, Kabalu said.
About half-a-million Moros who fled to Sabah stayed on or moved to other Malaysian states to to work in plantations and factories.
Rather than blame Malaysia, Kabalu said, the Philippine government should intensify its efforts to resettle and give livelihood to the deportees.
After all, he said, these deportees used to have their own homes in Mindanao but were forced to abandon them “due to the continuing war imposed upon by the government against the Bangsamoro people.”
“In short, without the war, these people should have been happily and peacefully earning their living in their respective places of origin,” he said.
Kabalu said bandit groups such as the Abu Sayyaf and their allies based in Jolo are also to blame for causing irritants with Malaysia for raiding Malaysian shores and kidnapping tourists and local residents.
He referred to the raid of Sipadan and another island resort in Sabah by Jolo kidnap gangs, who took with them more than 20 victims, including nine Malaysians and several Western tourists.
In a show of displeasure over the kidnappings, Malaysian authorities arrested MNLF Chairman Nur Misuari last November when he fled Jolo after the military crushed an uprising by his armed supporters.
The arrest was seen as a complete turnaround by Malaysia, which reportedly helped MNLF fighters during the Mindanao war of the 70s.
Kuala Lumpur had also seen improving ties with Manila over the years. Last year and early this year, it hosted peace meetings between Mnila and the MILF.
