KUALA LUMPUR: The Armed Forces is always ready to face any threat facing the country as priority is always given towards the military's level of preparedness, says Jen Tan Sri Affendi Buang.

       The Armed Forces chief said he was aware of media reports on plans to invade Sabah by certain parties in the Sulu province.

       "We view matters that can threaten the country's sovereignty and jeopardise relations with other countries, seriously.

       "At the moment, based on intelligence gathering, there is no clear indication or solid evidence towards what was reported," he said in a statement Friday (Dec 10).

       Jen Affendi added that, be it as it may, the Armed Forces would remain ready to defend the country's safety and sovereignty, including Sabah, from any threat.

       "Our mandate is to protect the country's interests, especially in terms of defending its sovereignty from any traditional and non-traditional threats," he said.

       The Armed Forces will also step up cooperation with security agencies especially the Royal Malaysia Police and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) in strengthening the country's security and defence, he added.

       "We hope Malaysians, especially those in Sabah, will not panic over any unverified information to prevent public distress," he said.

       South China Morning Post had reported that there was a secret meeting among 19 mayors in the Sulu province to discuss the recruitment of 600 armed fighters to set up a "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 for the force.

       The report, quoting a regional security official, also alleged that there were spies sent to scope out coastal towns, though no one has infiltrated yet.

       The source said the meeting was allegedly conducted by a locally-elected official in the Sulu province, who gathered mayors from the Sulu archipelago to discuss plans to set up the invasion force.

       In 2013, more than 200 armed Sulu militants had entered Sabah via Lahad Datu, resulting in a month-long standoff and armed skirmishes in their bid to forcefully claim Sabah as theirs.