Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Razak is seeking a security hotline with the Philippines, a year after clashes between authorities and Filipino Muslims claiming sovereignty over Sabah state resulted to the death of at least 62 people.
Najib met with President Benigno Aquino III in Putrajaya south of Kuala Lumpur on Friday, where they discussed the need to exchange intelligence and conduct more military and police exercises together, the Malaysian leader said.
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak after
he arrived at the Perdana Putra
(or prime minister’s office) in Putrajaya,
Malaysia, on the second day of his state
visit. MALACAÑANG PHOTO
The sultans of Sulu once ruled over both Sabah and the Sulu islands in the southern Philippines. Supporters of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III clashed with Malaysian authorities when he sent his brother and 200 armed followers to Sabah in February last year to occupy land and pursue the clan’s claim. Aquino accused Kiram, who died in October, and his followers of dragging the nation into a dispute that risked hurting relations with Malaysia.
Read more: http://manilastandardtoday.com/2014/03/01/malaysia-eyes-security-ties-with-ph/