THE MUSLIM MORO CONFLICT IN SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES: EFFECTS ON PHILIPPINES-MALAYSIA BILATERAL TIES, 1970-2010

Rammani Karupiah,Danny Wong Tze Ken

doi:10.22452/jati.vol24no2.7

Rammani Karupiah, Danny Wong Tze Ken

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.22452/jati.vol24no2.7

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Abstract

This article aims to examine the rebellion in the southern Philippines carried out by the Moro Islamic community and the impacts that have shaped bilateral ties between the Philippines and Malaysia between 1970 and 2010. Malaysia was brought into the turbulence of conflict as a large influx of Muslim refugees fled from the Philippines to Sabah, Malaysia due to the rebellion in Mindanao and in the Sulu archipelago. During the height of the conflict in the 1970s, Muslim refugees and illegal migrants predominantly comprising of the Suluk and Bajau ethnic groups, entered Sabah in large numbers. Their influx sparked security, financial, social and economic problems in Sabah. The Philippine government accused the Sabah Chief Minister at the time for harbouring the Islamic separatists. This article also discusses Malaysia’s commitment to negotiations as a third party facilitator in the peace process between the government of the Philippines, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).Keywords: Moro, MNLF, MILF, refugees, third party facilitator

Highlights

Diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Malaysia began since the time Malaya gained its independence from Britain on 31 August 1957, whenRammani Karupiah & Danny Wong Tze KenPhilippine President Garcia sent a delegation to attend Malaya’s independence proclamation ceremony (Laird, 1975, p. 41)
This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the conflict in the southern Philippines and the conflict’s impacts on bilateral ties between the Philippines and Malaysia
This paper employs qualitative historical analysis to analyse the impacts of the Moro uprisings in the southern Philippines on the development of PhilippinesMalaysia bilateral relations from 1970 to 2010

Summary

Introduction

Diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Malaysia began since the time Malaya gained its independence from Britain on 31 August 1957, whenRammani Karupiah & Danny Wong Tze KenPhilippine President Garcia sent a delegation to attend Malaya’s independence proclamation ceremony (Laird, 1975, p. 41). Diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Malaysia began since the time Malaya gained its independence from Britain on 31 August 1957, when. Official relations began in 1959 when the Philippines opened a representative diplomatic office in Kuala Lumpur. Three years later in 1963, this office was reconstituted into the Philippine embassy. Bilateral relations between the Philippines and Malaysia has had its share of highs and lows over the years. One of the major concerns of bilateral relations was the influence of non-state actors and the impacts of their transnational activities. Non-state actors, as far as the Philippines and Malaysia are concerned, are the Moro separatists whose insurgency efforts since the 1970s have greatly influenced Philippine-Malaysia relations Non-state actors, as far as the Philippines and Malaysia are concerned, are the Moro separatists whose insurgency efforts since the 1970s have greatly influenced Philippine-Malaysia relations (Werning, 2009, p. 8)

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