After negotiators of the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) wrapped up and agreed on the issue of maritime domain of the future Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE), they paid a courtesy call to the Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister and concurrently Minister of Defence Dato’ Seri Najib Mohammad bin Abdul Razak at his residence in Kuala Lumpur last November 15, 2007. GRP peace panel chairman Sec. Rodolfo C. Garcia and MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal were accompanied by Prof. Rudy Rodil and Atty. Michael Mastura during the call, which lasted for about an hour.

Also present were Datuk Othman bin Abdul Razak, who made the arrangement for the courtesy call, and Dato’ Zamzamin bin Hashim of the Research Department.

The main purpose of the call was to personally convey to the Malaysian leader the request of the two Parties, the GRP and MILF, for the extension of the Malaysian-led International Monitoring Team (IMT) and the expansion of its coverage to include the provinces of Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, and Palawan.

Both requests were positively granted by the Malaysian leader.

However, during the meeting the Malaysian leader reiterated earlier view of his government that the GRP-MILF Peace Process must show substantive progress, according to report, “in order to give importance and meaning to the IMT presence.”

During the September 2007 special meeting of the GRP and MILF negotiators in Kuala Lumpur, Datuk Othman bin Abdul Razak, chief pace facilitator and speaking in behalf of his government, told the GRP and MILF peace panels that the IMT would be pulled out in three months, which falls at the end of this month, if there is no substantive progress of the talks.

It is widely believed that the recent substantive progress of the talks particularly on both the land and maritime areas of the BJE, which so far is the hardest nut to crack in the ten-year talks, gives enough reason for the Malaysian government to extend the IMT tour of duty until August 30, 2008.

The Malaysian leader also talked of the need to pour investment into Mindanao once a peace deal is signed between the Parties.

He also sought clarification on both Parties especially to the Philippine government represented by Secretary Rodolfo Garcia on how best ways to comply and implement their part of the bargain, citing the presence of diverse political groups in the Philippines.

The reply was not reported.

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