Malaysia has agreed to send peace monitors to the southern Philippines to oversee a ceasefire between government and Muslim separatist rebels ahead of peace talks, Foreign Secretary Blas Ople said today.

Manila had earlier asked Kuala Lumpur to head an observer team composed of about 25 soldiers and policemen, including personnel from other Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) members Brunei, Bangladesh, Bahrain and Libya.

"The Malaysian cabinet yesterday decided to push through with the peace monitoring in the country," Ople told reporters.