In our democracy in the Philippines, we should hear the other side of the truth and not just the propaganda of the Malaysia politicians and government. True democracy is free debate and free flow of informations. Let us listen to the Princess Jacel Kiram, daughter of the Sulu Sultan and their claim to Sabah in behalf also of the Philippines too.

Let us listen and tell others about this TV interview by Boy Abunda, details below.





(Image below of Princess Jacel Kiram talking to media in front of a photo of her father the ailing Sultan of Sulu, sourced from todayonline.com)



I received this news from ABS CBN Broadcasting Corporation on Pricess Jacel Kiram to be interviewed by TV host Boy Abunda:

PRINCESS JACEL KIRAM SPEAKS UP ON SABAH STANDOFF IN "BOTTOMLINE."

Amid the much heated battle between the camp of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III and the Malaysian government for the ownership of Sabah, Kiram's daughter Princess Jacel will bravely take the spotlight this Saturday (March 9) in "The Bottomline With Boy Abunda" as she shares her thoughts and opinion about their fight for their rights on the land that they call home.

What is the truth behind the allegations that someone is providing them funds for the standoff?

Why did they not follow President Noynoy Aquino's call to come back in the Philippines to talk about the problem?

Are they ready for the possible outcomes of their plan to conquer Sabah?

Don't miss the 2012 Golden Screen TV Awards Outstanding Celebrity Talk Program "The Bottomline With Boy Abunda" this Saturday, 11:30 pm, after "Banana Split."

***

(Image below of Princess Jacel Kiram and her father the besieged and ailing Sulltan of Sulu, sourced from globalbalita.com)

KARAPATAN NG PILIPINAS SA SABAH, TATALAKAYIN NI PRINCESS JACEL KIRAM SA "BOTTOMLINE."

Sa gitna ng lalong umiinit na alitan sa pagitan ng kampo ng Sultan ng Sulu na si Jamalul Kiram III at ng gobyerno ng Malaysia kaugnay ng isyu ng pagmamay-ari ng Sabah, matapang na haharap ngayong Sabado (Marso 9) sa "The Bottomline With Boy Abunda" ang anak ni Kiram na si Princess Jacel upang ibahagi ang kanyang saloobin kaugnay ng ipinaglalaban nilang karapatan sa lupang na itinuturing nilang tahanan.

Ano nga ba ang katotohanan sa mga paratang na may nagbibigay ng pondo sa kanilang pagpunta sa Malaysia?

Bakit nga ba hindi nila pinakinggan ang panawagan ni Pangulong Noynoy Aquino na bumalik ng Pilipinas upang pag-usapan ang problema?

Handa na nga ba sila sa mga maaaring mangyari sa kanilang planong pagsakop sa Sabah? Makiaalam sa mga isyung panlipunan at huwag palampasin ang 2012 Golden Screen TV Awards Outstanding Celebrity Talk Program na "The Bottomline With Boy Abunda" ngayong Sabado, 11:30 ng gabi, pagkatapos ng "Banana Split."

Protest Malaysia police detention of 3 international journalists of Al-Jazeera in Sabah!


(Image of Filipina journalist detained by Malaysian police in Sabah, sourced from interaksyon.com)




(Image below of some journalists & others, sourced from wikisabah.blogspot.com)

***

I received this via email and I strongly support this public statement by media on the rights of journalists:

Joint statement: Media rights groups slam detention of Al-Jazeera journalists in Malaysia and calls for greater transparency

26 February 2013

We, the undersigned organisations which advocate for media freedom and responsibility in South-East Asia, regret the unnecessary detention and interrogation of three Al-Jazeera journalists who were reporting an armed standoff near Lahad Datu, Sabah, on 20th Feb 2013.

The journalists arrived in Sabah on 19 February to report the “standoff“ between an armed group calling itself the “Royal Sulu Sultanate Army” and the Malaysian authorities which started on 14 February.

The Al Jazeera news crew comprising of senior Asia correspondent Steve Chao, producer Jamela Alindongan and cameraperson Mark Giddens were under the detention of Malaysian authorities for at least six hours, during which they were intercepted at sea off Tanjung Labian village, escorted to a local police station, transferred to another police station 30 minutes’ drive away while under armed escort, and questioned by the Malaysian Special Branch, before being released.

According to a statement issued by Al Jazeera on 22 February and eyewitness accounts, the three were questioned for 30 minutes to 2 1/2 hours each, sometimes together but also separately. Alindongan, a Filipina attached to the Al Jazeera English Network office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was questioned the longest at 2 1/2 hours, and was accused several times of working for the “Royal Sulu Sultanate Army”, despite showing the authorities her employee ID.

When asked during the detention, the Malaysian authorities said the security zone around the standoff area was off-limit to civilians and media to avoid “disrupt(ing) political negotiations” with the “Royal Sulu Sultanate Army” and that this was a “sensitive political situation”. The Malaysian authorities also said they were not allowed to specify the boundaries of the “no-go security zone” but acknowledged that when intercepted, the boat with the journalists on board was far from the “no-go security zone” and that the journalists had not broken any laws.

The journalists were treated politely throughout the whole detention period. However, the interrogating officers were not in uniform and when asked, declined to provide their full names or rank. Chao, Alindongan and Giddens, as journalists attached to international media organisations, are equipped and trained to provide coverage during wars, standoffs, riots, uprisings and other hostile environments.

Centre for Independent Journalism in Malaysia, Centre for Media Freedom and Responsibility in the Phillipines, with Southeast Asian Press Alliance secretariat based in Bangkok understand the national security concerns as a result of this armed “standoff”. However, we find the length of detention of the three journalists unnecessarily long and the line of questioning on Alindongan to be unwarranted. We find the secrecy surrounding the identity of the interrogating officers to be unnecessary given that the ones being questioned were not criminal suspects but journalists on duty and identifiable as such.

In addition, we view the vague restrictions imposed on journalists covering the Lahad Datu “political negotiation/standoff” as an attempt at limiting journalists’ access at providing accurate, timely and fair coverage of a public interest security issue, especially given the looming elections in Malaysia. Given the impact on diplomatic relations between Philippines and Malaysia, it is even more important for the media to have adequate and safe access to be able to report on the situation accurately.

In view of the above, we urge the Malaysian authorities to take these measures in the short-term:

1. Make public the boundaries of the “no-go security zone” in the affected area to ensure civilians and media do not endanger their lives by breaching the limits.

2. Hold periodic press conferences to update the media on the “political negotiations” which are taking place to ensure media (and therefore public) official access to information around this public interest issue. This move will also allay the fear and uncertainty among people in the area and address the rumours abound in Malaysia regarding the “political negotiations/standoff” in Lahad Datu.

In addition, as a medium-term measure, we urge the setting up a committee comprising of the authorities, journalists, editors, journalist union, media advocacy groups, human rights organisations and other civil society groups, to draw up a "standard operating procedure" on how security authorities should deal with the media during conflict situations, using UNESCO guidelines as the benchmark. This initiative must be led by the Home Minister to show there is political will to stop future infringements on journalists on duty during conflict/armed situations.

The Malaysian authorities must show that it respects and understands the important role media plays during these important events.
Signed:

1. The Centre for Independent Journalism, Malaysia, is a non-profit organisation that aspires for a society that is democratic, just and free, where all peoples will enjoy free media and the freedom to express, seek and impart information.

Media contact:

Masjaliza Hamzah, executive officer
Tel: +60 16-338 6603

Tragedy of having lost or not reading or not replying to a letter? Moral Lesson: Read ALL letters!


(Image below of a letter, sourced from blog.careesma.in)

 

Kiram letter seeking consultation on peace talks 'lost in the maze' - Aquino

By: Dexter San Pedro, InterAksyon.com
February 26, 2013 9:09 AM

 

Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III and Pres Benigno Aquino III (Kiram photo by Noel Celis, AFP)

InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5

MANILA, Philippines -- President Benigno Aquino III admitted Tuesday that a letter from Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III to him in 2010 asking to be consulted on the peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front had been "lost in the bureaucratic maze."

But Aquino stressed that this was not enough reason for Kiram to feel left out of the peace talks process, much more for the sultanate to order the armed incursion of its followers into Sabah.

Early this month, more than 200 followers of the sultanate, led by Kiram’s brother, Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram, landed in Lahad Datu town in Sabah and occupied the village of Tanduo to press their ownership of the territory.

Since then they have engaged in a standoff with Malaysian security forces.

"Let me say to Sultan Jamalul Kiram III: I have just been made aware that a letter to me, from you, was sent through the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process in the very first weeks of my term, when we were organizing the government. Unfortunately, this letter was lost in the bureaucratic maze," Aquino said.

"Let me make clear that there was no intention to ignore your letter. Knowing this now, will you let your mistaken belief dictate your course of action?" he added.

Aquino appealed to Kiram to sit down with the government "as brothers" to address their grievances "in a peaceful, calm manner according to our laws and according to correct processes when your people arrive home."

"The avenue of peaceful and open dialogue is still available to us. And so this is my appeal to you: These are your people, and it behooves you to recall them," Aquino said.

"It must be clear to you that this small group of people will not succeed in addressing your grievances, and that there is no way that force can achieve your aims," he said.