Sulu Sultan optimistic that Sabah drama will soon be over

Bernie Concepcion

ZAMBOANGA CITY - The reigning Sultan of Sulu and Sabah and Head of Islam has urged Malaysian government to exercise maximum tolerance and restraint in order to resolve peacefully the crisis in Sabah (North Borneo) with the almost 3 weeks relentless pursuit offensive by Malaysian forces against  loyal followers of Sulu Sultan .

His majesty SultanFuad A. Kiram I, said Sabah is owned by the Tausug ands the Filipino people today even as he appealed for calmness and sobriety.

"Today we call on our brave and valorous Tausug people in Sabah who number over 70% of the population to be strong in faith and to calm down in the face of uncertainties today," This the Sultan emphasized during the celebration of Freedom Day celebration March 18, in commemoration of the historic Jabiddah massacre.

"We and and our Royal family, Royal Cabinet, along with the MNLF and its courageous Charman Nur Misuari stress our main aim anf concern.. to save lives, and fopr our resolute Tausugb and Filipino people and their families in Sabah to be safe from ham away from danger amid this Sabah incident," Sultan Kiram said

Kiram said that in the event Sabah successful return to the rightful heirs, the policy is to provide all the needed amenities for the people of the Sultanate on their basic needs will be benefited by all.

Expressing his greetings to the Tausug people of the Sulu sultanate whom he described as Unconquered Kingdom of the Royal Sultanate dominions which originally included Zamboanga peninsula, Basilan,, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Palawan and Sabah. It was called unconquered kingsdom because the Royal Sultanate did not surrender to the might of Spain for over 377 years of war, when at that time Spain was then the superpower.

Kiram said history tells us that Sabah and Palawan, including Spratlys, became sovereign patrimonies of the Sulu Crown since 165 to this day. They were gifts eternal by the Sulatan of Brunei to his cousin the Sultanate of Sulu. As a sign of his eternal gratitude ceded the territories due to successful military assistance given by our ancestor, Sultan Paduka Batara Shah, when he ordered our more than 2,500 valiant Royal Tausug Army Force led by Panglima Iliji that victoriously put down major rebellion in Borneo and eventually installed the true Brunei Sultan to the throne.

Kiram made it clear that they are the reigning Sultan of Sulu and Sabah and Head of Islam because we are the last son of our beloved father "Apah" from 1947 to 1973 and being his last son by the law of succession and primogeniture, we inherited all the rights, tittle and position of our royal father-His Majesty Sultan Mohammad Esmail E. Kiram I, who transferred the exercise of sovereignty to the Republic of the Philippines in September 12, 1962

Kiram bared that once a peaceful resolution of the Sabah crisis materialized and Malaysia will finally sit down with the heirs of the Sultan together with the Philippine government, "our beloved Tausug and Filipino people will greatly benefit from the Sabah return to us," he added.

"Our central policy is friendship, harmony, greater understanding and solidarity of all religions that will bring us peace and prosperity we all deserved.",

In the event of Sabah successful return, our policy would be to provide free services to benefit our people such as free hospitalization, education, community housing for the old, widows, orphans, the sick and the poor in our midst."

"we shall also built power plants and potable  and clean water facilities to be available at low subsidized rate to all our citizens. He declared witht he assurance that "Our beloved Tausug and Filipino people will greatly benefit once Sabah would be returned  to us," Kiram declared.

Sulatan Fuad  is the 35th proclaimed Sultan of Sulu base from the primogeniture and law of succession of the Royal Sultanate of Sulu and considered to be the true and legitimate sultan of Sulu and  recognized by the  Royal Datus and Sharifs.

Sultan Fuad accompanied by his royal entourage was in Zamboanga to expressed his sympathy to the Tausug Sabahan seriously affected by the on-going crackdown by Malaysian authorities against remnants of  the 200 Sultan royal followers led by Datu Muda Agbimuddin Kiran iwho occupied an area in Lahad Datu, Sabah Malaysia late last Month.