Humanitarian Organisation claims Sulu Sultanate heirs recruit Sabahans

KOTA KINABALU - The International Malaysian Humanitarian Organisation (MHO) claims that the heirs of the Sulu Sultanate are now actively recruiting the people of the state, especially in Lahad Datu.

MHO Secretary Datuk Hishamuddin Hashim said MHO volunteers detected the activities in Sabah after being informed through WhatsApp application on Monday.

"It was informed that specific individuals carry out activities in recruiting the locals in Sabah especially in Lahad Datu by providing identification documents for the Sulu Sultanate as well as a certificate of allegiance to the Sabahans to the Sulu Sultanate.

"The WhatsApp messages also include images similar to the personal identity for the Sulu Sultanate as well as the certificate of allegiance for the Sabahans to the Sulu Sultanate," he said in a statement on Tuesday evening.

He claimed the pictures contained the identification documents and had fingerprints from the owner of the identification documents.

"The public knows that the Sulu Sultanate is the relevant party and is responsible for the Sulu terrorist attacks in Lahad Datu, where the attacks were an act of terrorism and a call of war towards the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

"The attacks of the Sulu terrorist in Lahad Datu in 2013 sacrificed 12 national heroes who were members of national security.

"The activity of any parties or individuals recruiting locals in the state to pledge their allegiance to the Sulu Sultanate and had given the identification documents believed to be for the Sulu Sultanate to Sabahans is clearly a disobedience offence under the Penal Code towards His Majesty Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Sabah Yang di-Pertua," he said.

In this regard, MHO denounced all efforts and activities undertaken by any party in recruiting a group to give their allegiance to foreign elements, especially the Sulu Sultanate.

"The MHO also denounces the efforts and activities to conspire, support or siding with groups of intruders, security threats or terrorists.

"All parties are urged to channel information to the authorities regarding the activities of any individual, movement or groups that try to tear down and defame the sovereignty of the country.

"With this in mind, the MHO will deploy its volunteers, especially those in Sabah to file a police report regarding the WhatsApp messages and call on the police to investigate the pictures that are similar to the identification documents for the Sulu Sultanate as well as the certificate of loyalty of Sabahans towards the Sulu Sultanate," he said.