KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 — The Foreign Affairs Ministry expressed Malaysia’s support today for the Philippines’ new Organic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
In a statement, the ministry congratulated Malaysia’s Asean neighbour on passing the law and expressed its confidence that it would bring greater safety and stability to the Philippines.
“The enactment of the law marks a significant history for the Philippines.
“With the enactment of this law, Malaysia strongly believes that the Southern Philippines will achieve long-lasting peace and looks forward for opportunities to work together to develop the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region,” the ministry said.
It also reiterated Malaysia’s commitment to play a constructive role as the third-party facilitator in the peace process in the Southern Philippines.
“Malaysia will also continue to assist in the area of capacity-building programme for the Bangsamoro people to prepare them towards the eventual establishment of the Bangsamoro political entity.
“Malaysia wishes every success and prosperity to the people of the Republic of Philippines under President Rodrigo Duterte’s leadership,” it said.
On Thursday, Duterte reportedly signed the Bangsamoro Organic Law (or Republic Act 11054), after years of negotiations between the government and the country’s largest Muslim separatist group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
The law repeals the Republic Act 6734 that established the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
It reportedly aims to “establish a political entity, provide its basic structure of government in recognition of the justness and legitimacy of the cause of the Bangsamoro people and the aspirations of Muslim Filipinos and all indigenous cultural communities in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to secure their identity and posterity, allowing for meaningful self-governance within the framework of the Constitution and the national sovereignty as well as territorial integrity of the Republic of the Philippines.”
