Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar has called for the swift resumption of peace talks between the Philippines and Muslim rebels that were suspended last week.

Talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) had been due to resume in Malaysia on Wednesday, but the Philippine government said it needed time to "clarify" some issues. Talks may take place in September instead.

"It requires faith on the part of the parties involved," Bernama news agency quoted Syed Hamid as saying.

"I think whatever caused the failure of these talks should be identified quickly so that resumption of the negotiations can begin."

Malaysia, an influential member of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, has been helping to broker peace talks between Manila and the MILF, which has waged a decades-long insurgency in the south Philippines.

The 12,000-strong MILF said late last year that the talks were on the brink of collapse over its demands for economic control of ancestral lands on the southern island of Mindanao.

Last month, MILF guerrillas backed by members of the Muslim extremist group Abu Sayyaf killed 14 Filipino Marines in an ambush in the island of Basilan, despite a three-year-old ceasefire with the government.

The MILF has admitted it was behind the ambush but said it only launched the attack because the military had crossed into its territory.

The military launched an offensive on Aug 13 against the Abu Sayyaf on the southern islands of Jolo and Basilan, but President Gloria Arroyo said troops should respect the ceasefire guidelines with the MILF.

Manila's negotiator has insisted that the suspension of peace negotiations was not linked to the military operation.