MALAYSIA deployed on Tuesday a new team of peace keepers to Mindanao as part of its continuing commitment to achieve peace in the island.
Malaysian Army Gen. Wira Zamrose relinquished his post to Gen. Paiman Masrani, who is also from the Malaysian Army.
Malaysia leads the International Monitoring Team, the third party monitoring the implementation of the ceasefire agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
Speaking during the turnover ceremonies at the IMT office here, Zamrose said that local clan wars, popularly known as “rido,” and the spread of jihadists could destroy the relative peace that Mindanao enjoyed in the last few years.
As he bade farewell, Zamrose urged stakeholders to prevent the spread of extremism in Mindanao, referring to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
The IMT, composed of military and police personnel from Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia, and non-uniformed conflict resolution experts from Japan, Norway and the European Union, has been instrumental in the compliance of both sides with the ceasefire accord.
Zamrose and his team completed today their 12-month tour of duty in Mindanao.
Zamrose urged the leaders of the MILF not to allow the extremists to influence young Moro people.
In resolving clan wars, Zamrose said the active participation of political, MILF and religious leaders is paramount to save lives.
The turnover was done a day after Malaysian police arrested seven suspects, including five Filipinos and one Malaysian immigration officer, who have been linked to the Daesh.
The first Filipino suspect, who has permanent residence in Malaysia, was found to have provided funds for Malaysian fugitives “Dr. Mahmud Ahmad” and Mohamad Joraimee Awang Raimee, who joined the IS in southern Philippines as recruiters for the terror group, said Khalid Abu Bakar, Inspector-General of the police in a statement.
Another two are believed to have assisted the transit of three Indonesian IS militants to southern Philippines via the Malaysian state of Sabah, said Khalid.
The police believed the arrested Malaysian immigration officer helped arrange the travel for several terror suspects to southern Philippines without valid documents.
The suspects were arrested in a series of counter-terrorism operations between Wednesday and Sunday in Sabah and Selangor, said Khalid.