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The Malaysian Prime Minister Should Meet The Philippine President To Discuss The Ways To Handle Negotiations With Hostage-Taking Rebels In Southern Philippines. Statement by Dr Tan Seng Giaw, DAP National Vice-Chairman & MP for Kepong on the Philippine Government Chief negotiator Aventajado's unhappiness with Malaysian ambassador to the Philippines Arshad Mansor's humanitarian mission to meet Abu Sayyaf.21.5.2000 | |||||||
| Day 28 of the Sipadan hostage crisis: Malaysian ambassador to the Philippines Arshad Mansor met four Abu Sayyap abductors and helped a Malaysian Red Crescent team to take food to the 21 hostages on 18 May 2000. It seems that the team had waited for eight days. One or two of the hostages are sick such as the German woman Renate. They need food and medicines. Let us hope that the separatists release the sick immediately. The Philippine Government chief negotiator Robert Aventajado said: "It is our side that appears to be disorganised now because one government wants to deal unilaterally with the hostage takers. This is not good." Yesterday, Phillipines press secretary and presidential spokesman Ricardo Puno Jr confirmed that the Malaysian humanitarian mission was authorised. At the same time, Malaysian Foreign Minister Dato' Seri Syed Hamid Albar reiterated that the Thursday meeting was carried out after getting the green light from the Philippines and that she had never interfered with the Philippine approach in resolving the hostage crisis. Whether the Philippine Government's approach contains the persuasion of cold steel or measure for measure, we would not know. With the historical background of the southern Philippines, ill habits gather by unseen degrees. The Philippine Government have a better understanding of the ways of the separatists. There is no necessity to remind President Joseph Estrada that the 21 hostages have been snatched from Sipadan, the Malaysian resort | |
Island, since 23 April 2000. Malaysia have the responsibility to secure their release. We have nine Malaysians as hostages. Similarly, other hostages' mother countries, Germany, France, South Africa, Finland, and Lebanon are equally anxious to get their nationals safely home. After 28 days of the crisis, there is hardly any progress with the negotiations. We realize that the Philippine Government have its own approach. We may have a different way of going about solving the crisis. Without the permission of the host country, our ambassador or other Malaysians would not have any chance of going to Jolo Island, where the hostages are hidden, let alone having negotiations with the rebels. As the crisis drags on, Malaysian Prime Minister Dato' Seri Dr Mahahtir Mohamad should meet President Estrada as soon as possible to discuss the ways of handling the negotiations. We should be able to avoid any misunderstanding. No doubt, the Malaysian Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Norian Mai and the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Pandekar Amin did go to Manila. Whether or not they reached Jolo Island, we would not know. Certainly, the minister appeared to be spending his time only in the Philippine capital. Former Libyan ambassador to the Philippines Dr Rabjab Azzarouk, a member of the negotiating team, said that formal talks between the Philippine Government negotiators and Abu Sayyaf would start on 23 May 2000. We hope that negotiations will take place.
Dr Tan Seng Giaw | |||||
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