Malaysia is to seek information from the Philippine government on a claim that an opposition figure there had financed the intrusion of Jamalul Kiram's followers in Lahad Datu, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said today.

He said he had read the statement issued by Philippine Defence Secretary Voltaire T Gazmin stating that there was possibly evidence to link the Lahad Datu intrusion to the opposition there.

"We hope they will provide us with detailed information through the diplomatic channel, the Foreign Ministry, for us to know the truth," he told a news conference after launching the 'Hello Commodity' programme at the Pagoh Sports Complex in Muar.

 

Muhyiddin was asked to comment on Voltaire's statement made after the Philippine defence secretary had met Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in Putrajaya on Thursday.

Financial backing

He said the intrusion was a critical matter and he hoped that the Philippine government would take firm action against the culprits if it had the evidence.

"It is important that we also want to know if anyone in Malaysia is linked to the incident. We will know the truth if we have a copy of the report.

"We know that the terrorists do not have the capacity to carry out the intrusion, but they were using modern arms," he said.

He said this only proved that they had the financial backing from some quarters.

Muhyiddin, who is the MP for Pagoh, said the government would take firm action against those in Malaysia proven to have had a hand in the intrusion.

- Bernama