Sulu sultan's followers in Sabah ask Malaysia for ceasefire to bury dead

Sulu sultan prays as firefight erupts in Sabah . Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III prays inside his house in Maharlika village, Taguig City on Friday as fighting was reported to have started between Malaysian forces and his armed followers at a small fishing village in Sabah. In a report aired over GMA's News TV Live, reporter Mariz Umali quoted Kiram's spokesman Abe Idjirani in Manila as saying that Malaysian forces began surrounding the Filipinos at around 6 a.m. He also said the first shot 'was fired by Malaysian police authorities.' Reuters/Romeo Ranoco

After at least 12 of its followers were killed in a shootout with Malaysian forces, the Sulu sultanate sought a ceasefire from Malaysian security forces in Sabah so family members can bury their dead, a Malaysian news site reported late Friday.

Islamic burials usually take place within 24 hours of death. NIne of the Filipino dead have already been buried as of Saturday morning, according to sources close to the Sultan of Sulu.

Sultanate secretary general Abraham Idjirani, spokesman of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, said Malaysia as a Muslim nation should understand their followers' need to bury their dead, Malaysia's The Star online reported.

The Malaysian prime minister had authorized "all-out action" by Malaysian forces to quell whatever remained of the armed resistance.

“Malaysia is a Muslim nation so they should understand that we need to bury our dead... I hope Malaysia will reconsider its position,” he said in a phone interview with Malaysia's The Star online.

Kiram's followers had been holed up in the seaside village of Tanduo, led by Jamalul's brother Raja Muda Azzimudie Kiram.

Idjirani insisted the Malaysian forces had attempted to dig their way into the area at around 6 a.m. Thursday but withdrew.

Friday's shooting began at 10:30 a.m.

Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the Filipinos fired first and triggered the deadly encounter.

Najib also declared there will be no more grace period for the armed Filipinos to leave Sabah.

He said he has given "full mandate" to the ground commanders – police Inspector-General Tan Sri Ismail Omar and Armed Forces chief Tan Sri Zulkefli Mohd Zin -–to take the necessary action.

"They are given the full power to act in this case, using their discretion but the armed group must be defeated and appropriate further action taken against them," state-run Bernama news agency quoted Najib as saying.

Najib said the Filipino group ventured 1.5 km from their camp in Lahad Datu in Sabah and opened fire at the Malaysian forces, according to a report on Malaysia's The Star online.

"I am very sad over the incident because what we had wanted to prevent, which is bloodshed, actually happened," he was quoted in The Star online report as saying. "There will be no compromise; either (the intruders) surrender or face the consequences if they refuse."

He said the intruders are now "fully surrounded," and the Royal Malaysian Navy has raised the level of security in Malaysian waters to prevent any intruder from escaping. — ELR/HS, GMA News