Sabah standoff leader, Agbimuddin Kiram dies of cardiac arrest

Sabah standoff leader, Agbimuddin Kiram died on Tuesday of cardiac arrest, reported Philippines media portal, Rappler.

The report said, Agbimuddin who claimed himself as ‘crown prince of the Sulu Sultanate’ passed away at his home in Barangay Tubig Indangan in the town of Simunul, Tawi-Tawi.

Meanwhile, on October 20, 2013, Agbimuddin’s younger brother Jamalul Kiram III died of kidney and heart disease.

On February 9, 2013, following claims made by self-styled Jamalul, a group of his followers entered the country by boat in stages at Felda Sahabat 17, Kampong Tanduo, Lahad Datu in effort to regain the sovereignty of Sabah.

As this began, the area turned into a battle field between the country’s security forces and the Sulu invaders.

Agbimuddin headed the standoff with 200 armed militants from the Philippines which witnessed the death of 63 militants and 10 Malaysian security forces.

Following the standoff, the government established a special security area which covers 1,400km of the east coast of Sabah from Kudat to Tawau known as the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom).

Apart from that, the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone) which encompasses 10 districts that covers about 1,700km from Kudat to Tawau was also established .