Cross border attacks in Sabah

The cross border attacks in Sabah are a series of cross border terrorist attacks perpetrated by Moro pirates from Mindanao, Philippines, in the state of Sabah, Malaysia, that began even before the British colonial period. Many civilians have died or suffered during these incidents, causing an increase in anti-Filipino sentiment among the native peoples of Sabah, especially after major attacks in 1985, 2000 and 2013. The attacks were more intense during the presidential terms of Diosdado Macapagal and Ferdinand Marcos, who supported irredentist claims to include eastern Sabah as part of the Philippines territory. In addition, recent infiltration and attacks by militants as well as uncontrolled human migration from Mindanao to Sabah has led to more unease sentiments among the local residents of Sabah, with around 78% of prison inmates that were caught in the state due to involvement in criminal activities and lawlessness issues mainly originating from the southern Philippines.

Prior to a large-scale military operation initiated by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to combat the rampant lawlessness in the southern Philippines since mid-2016, Malaysian security forces had been told to tighten its security and to ensure that terrorists do not attempt to flee prosecution by escaping to uninhabited areas. Sabahan leaders also ordered Malaysian security forces to "shoot on sight" any trespassers who continue to ignore laws despite repeated warnings and that those escaping militants be dealt with by the country's laws more effectively. Following the declaration of martial law in the neighbouring Philippines since 23 May 2017, Malaysian authorities increased their border security. Sabah Chief Minister Shafie Apdal also urged the Malaysian security forces to stop taking a defensive attitude and be offensive towards the rampant crimes perpetrated by southern Filipino criminals and terrorists that has disturbed peace in the state.

Various countries and territories such as Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States and Vietnam have raised a travel alert for their citizens to avoid the area in eastern Sabah.

Background

Piracy has been a part of the Sultanate of Sulu's culture. During the expedition by the British ship in 1846, Captain Henry Keppel mentioned:

The Sulu islands were known for their "great slave market" with their islanders frequently attacking Borneo Island in search of slaves. In 1910, the neighbouring Celebes Islands was attacked by seven Moro pirates whom had crossed from Mindanao, and two Dutch traders were killed in the incident. Subsequent reports from the British government in North Borneo reported that ''Joloano Moros'' terrorised the inhabitants of North Borneo, looting small towns and killing many people. Although the British did a lot to combat piracy, an office of a British company was later raided by twelve Moro pirates in Kalabakan in July 1958. Another raid was done on the nearby township of Semporna on 29 March 1954. During the last years of British rule in North Borneo, both seafarers and coastal settlements suffered a high numbers of attacks from pirates who were believed to be mainly based on Tawi-Tawi. Between 1959 and 1962, 232 pirates attack were recorded by the British authorities in North Borneo, but these were thought to be underestimated as many attacks went unreported. The British North Borneo governor at the time, Roland Turnbull had requested the British to provide him with security forces from the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force but no aid was sent until a British newspaper, the ''Daily Telegraph'' embellished the report with an anti-Indonesian bias because of the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation.

Moro migration to Sabah

Regional migration flows within Southeast Asia are not a phenomenon restricted to current times. Social and cultural connections between Sabah, Mindanao and the Indonesian province of North Kalimantan have existed for centuries. The tradition of border crossing from the Philippine Sulu Archipelago to Sabah originated in the late 16th century. The first wave of this migration was linked to the Spanish colonialists who began pushing southwards toward the island provinces of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi from Manila, which was the administration centre of the Spanish during that time. The struggle for dominance between different ethnic groups and the Spanish in Mindanao led to increased immigration of Philippine Moro ethnic groups, mostly the Suluks and Bajaus to Sabah.

The first arrival of the illegal immigrants in Sabah in the 1960s was said to be associated with the then Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos and his country's claim to the northern Borneo region. It is claimed by media in the Philippines that during the first stage of his plan, Marcos sent around 17 men who mostly recruited from Sulu and Tawi-Tawi had entered Sabah as forest rangers, postmen and police. These agents have blended into the Sabah local communities with a plan to possessing the minds of the larger Filipino communities in eastern Sabah to secede from Malaysia and become part of the Philippines as well to destabilising Sabah. At the same time, a Suluk native, Mustapha Harun became the third Chief Minister of Sabah, he then made a contact with one of the Filipino agent who became his driver. However, most of them did not intend to attack their fellow Muslim brothers in Sabah when they realise their true mission in which they were later execute by Marcos commando soldiers in an event known as Jabidah massacre. During Mustapha's term from 1967 to 1975, he was believed to have encouraged many newly Filipino Tausūgs to migrate to northern Borneo to establish a strong Muslim community which was represented by the United Sabah National Organisation (USNO). Since the massacre especially with the starting of Moro insurgency in the Philippines, Mustapha is believed to have supplied the Moro rebels with financial and weapon supports to fight for their freedom and to take a revenge for their fallen comrades.

Since then, it has caused major economic problems for Sabah as Marcos soldiers launched an operation to eliminate any anti-Marcos factions in the Sulu and Mindanao islands which left much infrastructure there destroyed, forcing an estimated of another 100,000 Moros in Mindanao to flee to Sabah. Most of those who left the Philippines were already involved in criminal activities, mainly smuggling and armed robbery. Today, a huge numbers of Moros still live in many places in Sabah such as Kota Kinabalu, Kinarut, Lahad Datu, Sandakan, Semporna, Tawau, Telipok as well on Labuan. Most of the Filipino refugees are issued with IMM13 documents by the Malaysian government during Mahathir Mohamad administration, with many of them have been controversially naturalised as citizen.

Besides that, the present economic disparity between Mindanao and Sabah became the main reason many of these illegal Moros snuck into Sabah with some of those "extremist" Moros with their own ideology still perceive the eastern part of Sabah as part of the Philippines, and these groups feel entitled to enter Sabah as it is their historical right although the Sultanate of Sulu have defunct since the last recognised Sultan, Jamalul Kiram II whose have no son to inherit his powers.

In 2014, the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) Security Coordinating Intelligence Officer Hassim Justin blamed corruption, illegal issuance of identity cards and local authorities who did not taking any action to combat the squatter colonies for contributing to the significant increase of illegal immigrants in Sabah. It was also reported that community leaders in the east coast such as village chief were involved in the granting of identity cards to new Filipino Moro immigrants as they have a connection with them through similar ethnic roots. According to a research by two Filipino researchers, Myfel Joseph Paluga and Andrea Malaya Ragragio of the Department of Social Science University of the Philippines Mindanao, the flood of migrants from Mindanao to Sabah was partly encouraged by certain Sabah politicians who wanted to be the Sultan of Sulu especially after the fall of Sabah Muslim-led parties of USNO and Sabah People's United Front (BERJAYA) administrations. Beside that, it was claimed by Indonesian workers who had become victims of irresponsible employers, the arrival of illegal immigrants from the Philippines are also caused by employers who abuse their powers especially in the agricultural sectors of palm oil plantation.

Timeline of attacks

Attack strategy

The tactics are different, and are based on the motives of individual groups. Generally, the Moro pirate and militants will attack and escape to the Malaysia–Philippines border or any nearby islands when their activities are spotted by the security forces. Both the pirates and militants will usually steal boat engines, food and other useful things that can be sold. In certain cases, they also attack towns, killing innocent civilians and kidnapping them as shown in the Lahad Datu and Semporna attacks. The Filipino illegal immigrants play an important role in helping them by providing information on their next target. Due to the increase security patrol by the Malaysian Armed Forces, the militants group such as the Abu Sayyaf has change their tactics by attacking and abducting foreign vessel crews. Many of those who fleeing from the Philippine military operation in the southern Philippines also sneaking into Sabah with new tactics by entering the state in a small group to avoid from being detected as suspicious by the Malaysian security forces, this was discovered following the tip-off from local villagers who saw many new suspicious people coming into their village from the sea shortly after the continuous military operation. Many of them are believed to be member of militants and kidnapping groups.

20th century

In 1962, seven Filipino Moros armed with machetes attacked the town of Kunak and robbed the businessmen there. The seven Filipino Moros attacked again in 1963, this time attacking the town of Semporna and killing a number of residents. In October 1979, a passenger boat on the way to Semporna from Lahad Datu with 48 passengers was attacked and forced to dock at Adal Island. Three passengers were shot dead, one woman was raped and the others was taken to the Philippines but were quickly rescued by the Philippine security forces. In 1980, a group of 6–8 Moros attacked an island near Semporna with M16 rifles, killing villagers while they were asleep. At the end, seven villagers were killed while 11 others were injured. In 1982, a groups of Moros ambushed a village in Timba-Timba Island, and started to shoot, rob and kill villagers. The incident in 1985, which is considered to be the most terrifying attack out of all of them, was where 21 people were killed and another 11 wounded. Five of the intruders were killed by the Malaysian maritime police while the others managed to escaped. At the end of the tragedy, one of the victim said;

I cannot help wondering about our government, which can’t seem to defend us against these marauders.

In 1987, two Japanese managers was killed while others were wounded after twelve gunmen attack a factory in the Boheydulang Island, forcing the company to close and move their factory to Indonesia. In 1996, two separate armed groups from Mindanao attack the town of Semporna, the first group attack a police station by throwing a fish bomb while the second group managed to steal jewellery worth around MYR100,000 at a gold shop. During the shoot-out, two of the group members were captured by the police with 200 bullets recovered from them. However, the rest managed to escape. In March 1996, another attacks by 10–20 Moros happens in the town of Semporna when three separate armed groups attacked different places at the same time. The first group attacked a police headquarters while the second group attacked a police station. It is acknowledged the motive of the first and second group was to delay time and let the third group succeed in robbing a gold shop. No arrest was made and all the intruders managed to escaped with MYR 200,000. Again in July 1996, four armed men attack a gold shop in Tawau and managed to steal jewellery worth around MYR 150,000. However, one of the gunmen later made a mistake when he retreated to a refugee village in Tawau where he was shot dead by the police. After an hour of investigation, another 5 gunmen from other groups were killed by the police.

21st century

In 2000, the Abu Sayyaf group kidnapped a large number of hostages. 10 of the hostages were from Europe and the Middle East while 11 were Malaysian resort workers. All hostages were later rescued by the Philippine security forces in Jolo, Sulu. In 2003, six foreigners were kidnapped by 10 Moro pirates. In 2004, two Sarawakians and an Indonesian were kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf group. In 2005, five Filipinos abducted three Indonesian crew from a Sandakan-based trading company near Mataking Island off Semporna. In 2010, a crew of fishermen were captured by Filipino gunmen when their boat strayed into Philippine waters near Boan Island. All crews was later released without any ransom being paid. Also in the same year, a seaweed manager and supervisor were kidnapped by four armed Filipinos on Sebangkat Island. Both victims was freed 11 months later. In 2011, ten armed Filipinos kidnapped a Malaysian businessmen. On 11 February 2013, a group of approximately 100–200 individuals, some of them armed, arrived by boat in Lahad Datu, Sabah from Simunul, Tawi-Tawi, in Mindanao. They were sent by Jamalul Kiram III, one of the claimants to the throne of the Sultanate of Sulu. Their objective was to assert their unresolved territorial claim to North Borneo. During the standoff, 56 militants were killed including 6 civilians and 10 Malaysian forces. In November 2013, suspected Abu Sayyaf militants killed a Taiwanese national at Pom Pom Island and released his wife a month later in southern Philippines.

In January 2014, an attempted intrusion by foreign elements on Sabah was blocked by the Malaysian security forces. On 2 April 2014, a Chinese tourist and a Filipino national were abducted off Singamata Adventures Reef and Resort, Semporna. Two months later, they were rescued by Malaysian and Philippine security forces. On 6 May 2014, another abduction involving a Chinese national occurred in Silam, near the Lahad Datu area in Sabah. He was later freed on 10 July. On 16 June, a fish breeder and a Filipino worker were kidnapped off Kunak. The fish farm manager was freed on 10 December with the help of two Filipino negotiators, one of them being the leader of the Moro National Liberation Front. On 12 July, a policeman was shot dead and another marine policeman was abducted at Mabul Water Bungalows Resort, Mabul island. The policeman was later freed on 7 March 2015, after 9 months in captivity. On 9 October, two Filipino illegal immigrants who were identified as Sulu militants were killed by police in Penampang, both suspects has a record of criminal activities and were responsible for at least three robberies in the area. On 17 October, two Vietnamese fishermen who were working for a Malaysian employer, were shot by Filipino pirates. All of them were later rescued by the Malaysian security forces and sent to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kota Kinabalu.

On 15 May 2015, four armed men from the Abu Sayyaf-based group in Mindanao abducted two people in a resort in Sandakan and brought them to Parang, Sulu. One of them been released on 9 November, after six months in captivity, while another one was beheaded due to ransom demands was not met. The Malaysian authorities identified that a number of kidnappings in Sabah was perpetrated by a group of Filipino brothers known as "Muktadil brothers" who sell their hostages to Abu Sayyaf group. Of all the five Muktadil brothers: Mindas Muktadil was killed by Philippine police in Jolo in May 2015, Kadafi Muktadil was arrested in late 2015, Nixon Muktadil and Brown Muktadil was killed during an operation by the Philippine military on 27 September 2016 after they resist for arrest, while Badong Muktadil succumbed to his injuries during his run after being shot at the time his brothers was killed. His body was discovered in a pump boat in Mususiasi area in Siasi Island, close to Jolo.

On 1 April 2016, four Malaysians aboard a tugboat from Manila was kidnapped when they arrived near the shore of Ligitan Island, while leaving other crews unharmed comprising three Myanmar nationals and two Indonesians. The four Malaysian hostages was later released after nearly two months in captivity. On 15 April, two Indonesian tugboats from Cebu, namely ''Henry'' and ''Cristi'' with 10 passengers were attacked by Abu Sayyaf militants. Four passengers were kidnapped, while another five were safe. One of the passenger was injured after being shot but were later rescued by Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency when they arrived into the waters of Malaysia. The four were released on 11 May with the help of the Philippine government. On 9 July, three Indonesians fishermen was kidnapped near the coast of Lahad Datu. On 18 July, five Malaysian sailors were also abducted near the coast of Lahad Datu. Another one Indonesian sailor was kidnapped in the waters of Malaysia on 3 August while leaving other two crews unharmed, the incident was only reported by victims on 5 August. Two of the Indonesian sailor hostages have managed to escape from the Abu Sayyaf after persistent threats of beheading.

On 10 September, three Filipino fishermen was kidnapped in the shores of Pom Pom Island in Sabah, Malaysia. The three Indonesians fishermen that was kidnapped on 9 July from Sabah were released on 17 September. On 27 September, one local boat-skipper was kidnapped from his trawler by seven armed Filipino militant before attacking another Indonesian trawler but no kidnapping were committed in the second incident. The boat-skipper was released on 1 October with no ransom been asked, along with three Indonesians hostages that were released on the same day. On 12 October, four armed men in a pump boat attacking two fishermen on a boat off Tigabu Island near Kudat. One of the fisherman who is an Indonesian sustained gunshot wounds and has been treated in the Duchess of Kent Hospital in Sandakan. On 24 October, six unidentified gunmen who spoke Tagalog rob a Malaysian trawler in international waters near Jambongan Island off Kudat, the incident was only reported to local authorities on 27 October due to long distance with any army post. Another attempt for kidnapping was thwarted by the Malaysian security forces on 31 October near Berhala Island, thought the perpetrators managed to escape. Two Indonesians were abducted near the shore of Kuala Kinabatangan on 5 November by unidentified gunmen based in Tawi-Tawi island of the Philippines. On 6 November, a German woman tourist was shot to dead while her boyfriend been abducted by Abu Sayyaf militants from their yacht off Tanjong Luuk Pisuk in Sabah. The German man was later beheaded after failed to pay ransom for his release. On 20 November, two Indonesian fishermen was kidnapped by five Abu Sayyaf gunmen off Lahad Datu, Sabah, while Philippine military been informed to intercept the bandit. Responding for the co-operation with neighbouring countries, since late 2016 more than 100 Abu Sayyaf militants have been killed by Philippine authorities, with another 30 killed in early 2017.

On 8 March 2017, a Vietnamese merchant ship was escorted safely to Malaysian waters by the local authorities after the ship's captain reported that he spotted a strange boat with six people on board from the Philippine waters following their vessel. On 23 March, Philippine authorities rescued two Malaysian hostages during its continuous major pursuit to destroy the group. Another three more Malaysian hostages rescued on 26 March. Following the continuous security operation collaboration between the Philippine and Malaysian authorities, the attacks by Abu Sayyaf have seen a beginning of decrease since the month of April. The Malaysian side announced that they would begin to lead the major active joint sea patrols in the Sulu and Celebes Sea with the authorities in Philippines and Indonesia to eliminate all forms of piracy and to clear the sea areas from criminal and terrorist activities that have been ongoing for decades.

From 2000 to 2016, there has been records of 20 kidnappings cases perpetrated by the Abu Sayyaf, with a total of 33 Malaysians and 31 foreigners have been kidnapped for ransom during the six years. Following the Philippine military major operations in the southern Philippines especially with the recent killings of many notable Abu Sayyaf leaders, the authorities there have foiled a big plan of the Abu Sayyaf to carry out large-scale kidnappings of foreigners from tourist island resorts in East Malaysia and the central Philippines. On 11 September 2018, two Indonesian fishermen working off eastern Sabah shores are kidnapped by Filipino bandits, making it as another first kidnapping incident in almost two years. On 10 June 2019, another ten sea gypsies were kidnapped by southern Filipino bandits from the waters in Lahad Datu. Nine of them were later released without harm on 22 June in the same month. On 4 September, two armed Filipino men were killed after they suddenly opened fire to Malaysian patrolling authorities who out to check two foreign boats acting suspiciously in Malaysian waters during night. In the ensuing shoot-out, the other boat also unheeded the warnings and escaped in darkness towards the direction of the southern Philippines. The increasing vigilance comes after the warning from Indonesian consulate in Sabah that there have been attempts by the Abu Sayyaf to carrying out raids for ransom in the east coast.

Threats and impacts

Security

During the British colonial era, the British suffered a high number of attacks, leading to the deployment of Henry Keppel and James Brooke in 1846 to search for pirate nests in North Borneo. After a long journey of battling with the pirates, the last pirate's nest in Tunku, Lahad Datu was destroyed by the British.

The latest intrusion in 2013 caused the Malaysian government to establish the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM), Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZONE) and deploy more assets to Sabah. To combat Moro pirates and Abu Sayyaf attacks, the Malaysian government has also decided to impose a curfew on eastern Sabah waters and has started to use radar to detect any suspicious activities on every tiny settlement along the east coast. There is a call from a former Chief Minister of Sabah, Harris Salleh to the federal government to reconsider the proposal to move the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) base from Butterworth, Penang to Labuan. He suggested that the air force base should be relocated to Tawau in the interest of security in the eastern Sabah. The Minister of Transport, Liow Tiong Lai has also proposed to extend the area of ESSCOM and ESSZONE to cover the whole Sabah as also been proposed by Yong Teck Lee. On 23 January 2015, the Royal Brunei Air Force

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