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Malaysia flexes her Shafie Apdal muscles

Ten "heavily armed and dangerous" Abu Sayyaf rebels have fled Jolo Island in Mindanao, southern Philippines, and headed for Malaysia where they can be assured of a safe haven. Symbiotic, and tribal, ties between the Mindanao rebels and prominent Sabah and Malaysian politicians have existed for decades, with blood lines for centuries, would ensure it. When in April 2000, the Abu Sayyaf rebels captured for ransom Western tourists and Malaysian workers at a tourist resort in the disputed island of Sipadan off the coast of Sabah, a former chief minister of Sabah and the present deputy education minister flew to southern Philippines to negotiate their release. A huge ransom was paid. One does not how much, but many believe loot was shared with parties in Malaysia. The Abu Sayyaf and other Muslim irredentist groups in southern Philippines could always count on Malaysia for financial and other support. Many travelled for years on Malaysian passports.

Kuala Lumpur had nurtured them in a tit-for-tat with the Philippines for its claim to Sabah. It had actively fomented rebellion in Mindanao, with Malaysian politicians including the fomer prime minister and defence minister, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein (the father of the defence minister, Dato' Seri Najib, and uncle of the sports and culture minister, Dato' Hishamuddin Hussein) and the late Sabah strongman, Tun Datu Mustapha bin Datu Harun led the Malaysian charge, training Filipino dissidents in Malaysia, providing funds and all help, even at one point the Malaysian Navy pressed into service to rescue some rebels fleeing from the Philippines Navy. That support, though drastically reduced, has built a pipeline which it cannot shut off with impunity, without risking a retaliation.

What upset this cosy arrangement is the ubiquitous war on terror President Bush unleased upon us all. Public statements must fall in line with his war. So when the deputy defence minister, Dato' Shafiee Apdal, threatened to shoot the Abu Sayyaf rebels if they should venture into Malaysian waters, it was received in some surprise. He threatened fire and brimstone, which the Malay Mail duly recorded yesterday (10 December 2002). There appeared to be a policy change. One could find no evidence of it. So what did he say? The Malaysian security forces would shoot if fired upon in Malaysian coastal waters. Is that not standard operating procedure not only for the armed forces but all security forces? Is that not what a police man routinely tells an armed gunman when he has him cornered? So, why did he say it? Is it to impress all and sundry, that in this global war on terror, former friends end up foes? Is it to show that Malaysian terrorial waters, leaky at the besk of times, is now so tightly patrolled that no one could slip through?

This cannot be: A foreign military aircraft dropped paratroopers in the middle of the night during a routine Malaysian land, naval and air exercise -- "Operation Pahlawan Gong Kedah" -- on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia late in October. The surveillance radar, not part of the exercise, noted it but did not, as it would have, bring it to the notice of higher authority until the next morning. It was assumed to be as part of the exercise. It was not. No aircraft had taken off after 11 pm the previous night. Now everyone scrambles. This is not the first time this has happened, though in the charged atmosphere of the War on Terror, it frightens the defence ministry no end. What frightens even more is that Malaysia's air defence system did not detect it. Why? The civilian radar system did not either. Why? Was this a deliberate attempt to test Malaysia's aerial surveillance? Or is it something more sinister?

Which is why Dato' Shafie's high moral ground against terrorists is so pathetic. "If the rebels infilitrated Malaysia to destabilise the security of the country, we would not compromise with them as Malaysia is no haven for terrorists," he thundered. Malaysia knows about the rebels' intentions because it had been tipped off. In other words, it she was not, she would not have known of this. But what is this tightened security patrols he talks of. Normally, the thousand kilometres of coastline is patrolled by "four or five" joint naval-and-police patrol boats. Now, with this emergency, a battleship is pressed into service. Soon, we are told, with the submarine base in Sabah, security would be tightened even more.

So, why did Dato' Shafie reveal this non-story, and make himself look stupid, and the Malaysian naval and police cooperation in Sabah waters so pathetic? He is a Bajau from Semporna, in southern Sabah, and not related to the larger Tausek tribe in the area, which has links with the Tausek tribes in Mindanao. The Abu Sayyaf rebels are mostly Tausek, as is the former rebel leader Mr Nur Misuari. He is related to the outgoing Yang Dipertua (Governor) of Sabah, the former chief minister Tun Sakaran Dandai. His statement would not be taken as stupid by the Abu Sayyaf rebels. Which is why he ought to be on his guard when he next visits his home. But as for his threats, nothing like this would happen. The illegal immigrants and the barter traders use the seas around Sabah so regularly that the Malaysian authorities cannot control their arrival. All they can is to hope that they would strike lucky when they stop a boat. They often are not. Besides unnecessary risking his life, his statements amount to nothing. It is a much ado about nothing. Indeed, the Malaysian government, war on terror or no, can do nothing but grin and bear it.

M.G.G. Pillai
pillai@mgg.pc.my