By Ritchie A Horario/Manila Times

The Sultanate has renewed its call on foreign governments to help end its territorial dispute with the Malaysian government.

“The Sultanate leadership is calling the attention of Great Britain, Spain, Holland, Germany and the US to facilitate peaceful talks between Malaysia and the Sultanate of Sulu,” Secretary General Abraham Idjirani said.

A year after its Royal Security Forces (RSF) occupied a portion of Lahad Datu that led to a bloody standoff in Sabah, the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo yesterday declared that it is now willing to live in peaceful co-existence with the Malaysians.

Idjirani said Sultan Esmail Kiram  and Datu Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram are now seeking peace with Malaysia without prejudicing the interests of the 32 ethnic tribes in the disputed territory.

“The journey back home to Sabah last year to live in peace is now part of the Sultanate of Sulu’s aspiration,” he told Manila Times.

In fact, Idjirani said, supporters of the Sultanate held a one day prayer on February 4 and that the aspiration of the Bangsa Suluk people to live in peaceful co-existence with the Malaysians was heard all over the world.

“The presence of the spirit of the Sultanate of Sulu is alive in Sabah, but should not be translated as a potential threat to peace and stability of the disputed territory,” he added.

Agbimuddin Kiram led the 235 members of RSF in February last year in occupying Lahad Datu in a move to repossess Sabah from the Malaysian government.

The RSF engaged Malaysian forces in a one-month standoff, which led to deadly clashes and arrests of some of its members.

Idjirani earlier said Agbimuddin, who is still in hiding, has no plans of leaving Sabah until they succeeded in repossessing the mineral-rich North Borneo territory.

At the same time, he said the two prominent Sultanate leaders are conveying their gratitude to the United Nation’s call for the Sultanate of Sulu and Malaysia to observe sobriety and conduct peaceful dialogue to achieve resolution of the conflict.

Sultan Kiram earlier expressed willingness to peacefully negotiate with the Malaysian government.