Malaysia has not yet decided whether to send a ceasefire observer team to the Philippines as requested by President Gloria Arroyo, the foreign minister said today.

Syed Hamid Albar said the Philippines had asked Malaysia to take the lead in sending a team to monitor a ceasefire between the Muslim separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Philippines.

"I will be responding to the Philippines request once I get the mandate from the government," he said. He declined to reveal when the government would make an announcement.