KOTA KINABALU: Intelligence reports of a planned “invasion” of Sabah by southern Philippines-based militants are likely connected to political gamesmanship by Filipino warlords to drum up support from local communities ahead of next year’s elections, say sources.

       Sources familiar with the political modus operandi of warlords in Sulu province suspect that the calls for an “invasion” will go down well with the Tausug communities in Jolo and other islands in the province.

       “It’s more of a political play to win the elections. Whoever brings up the Sabah claim can gain greater support from the Tausug community,” a regional intelligence source said when contacted.

       The source noted that issues of intrusion and kidnappings always emerged when elections are held in the Philippines.

       Some warlords would encourage kidnappings to raise political funds for their electoral bids.

       However, the source said that such talk should still be investigated and security in eastern Sabah must nevertheless be strengthened.

       Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department director Datuk Hazani Ghazali also suspects that this has something to do with local elections in the Philippines.“It is more on politics... election,” said Hazani, who was previously Sabah police commissioner and also former Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) commander.He assured that Malaysian security forces were prepared to face any threat.

       “We are ready,” he added.

       Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Idris Abdullah dismissed claims of an invasion, saying that they were untrue.

       However, he said security would be heightened along Sabah waters.

       Esscom commander Comm Datuk Ahmad Fuad Othman said their intelligence had actually detected such movements earlier and had made attempts to get more information.

       “We are still trying to verify these allegations with our counterparts,” he said when contacted.

       Border controls and patrols, he said, had been tightened, and assured the people that no abnormal movements from outside Malaysian waters had been detected so far.

       Comm Ahmad Fuad said talk of invasion and claims that Sulu forces were trying to attack Sabah had been happening throughout the years.

       During his winding-up speech on Sabah’s budget for 2022 at the state assembly yesterday, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the state government had yet to receive information on the alleged plot.

       “I cannot comment on this yet because we have not received information about this report,” he said, referring to a foreign news report on the matter.

       Yesterday, the South China Morning Post reported that there was a secret meeting among 19 mayors in Sulu to discuss the recruitment of 600 armed militia as plans to set up the “Royal Sulu Army” to invade Sabah.

       The meeting was allegedly held with a senior political figure in Sulu who ordered each mayor to carry out recruitment.

       The report, which quoted a regional security official, also said there were spies sent to check on coastal towns, although none had been infiltrated yet.

       In 2013, more than 200 armed Sulu militants intruded upon Sabah via Lahad Datu in a bid to claim the state as their territory.

       The incident resulted in a month-long standoff with security forces.