Malaysia assures Pinoys of continuous employment in Sabah plantations




Malaysia has assured the Philippine government that Filipinos will continue to be employed in plantations in Sabah amid the ongoing operation by Malaysian forces to flush out followers of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III who entered the resource-rich territory last month to press historical claim.
 
Malaysia’s Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA) conveyed this to Philippine officials who are providing humanitarian and consular assistance in Sabah to Filipinos affected by the violence that started when Kiram’s men entered the coastal town of Lahad Datu by boat from Mindanao to re-settle and fortify the sultanate’s claim on the territory.

At a press briefing Wednesday, Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez said there are 451 Filipinos with 350 dependents working in FELDA-managed plantations.

“A FELDA official assured the team that they will help out in allowing the team to visit more evacuation centers and assured them of the safety and continuous employment of Filipinos in plantations,” Hernandez said.

Casualties

More than two dozen Kiram followers have been killed and at least eight from the Malaysian side while scores of Filipino fighters have been captured and are in Malaysian custody.

Manila said dialogue with Malaysia is ongoing to de-escalate tensions in Sabah.
 
As armed encounters raged on, many Sabah residents have fled their homes and have temporarily sought refuge in evacuation centers.

A Philippine humanitarian team comprised of the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Philippine embassy in Kuala Lumpur and the Department of Social Welfare and Development have been dispatched to affected areas like Lahad Datu, Semporna and Sandakan to assist the distressed Filipinos.

Hernandez said a mobile humanitarian/welfare desk has been set up in Sabah to further assist the Filipinos.

There are a total of 1,464 evacuees in four evacuation centers comprising of Filipino, Indonesian, Timorese and local workers.

The groups also visited Kampung Batu-Batu and talked to the leaders and members of the Filipino community there and many have expressed desire to be repatriated to the Philippines.

A Philippine team also visited a learning center catering to Filipino children of undocumented migrants.

In Tawau, around 50 Filipinos working at the Fook Ngiap sawmill told the visiting consular officials that they are pleased to know that the Philippine government is concerned about their welfare, Hernandez said.   
 
Hernandez said the Philippine humanitarian team will visit more sites and conduct further mapping out of Filipinos in the area while a team in Sandakan will oversee the departure of Filipinos seeking repatriation to escape the conflict in Sabah. — RSJ, GMA News 

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