Mahathir backs Philippines' Muslim autonomous region

By Omer Faruk Yildiz

KUALA LUMPUR (AA) - Malaysia supports the newly-formed autonomous region for Muslims in the southern Philippines, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Thursday.

“We want southern Philippines to be stable, peaceful, and we can then find opportunities here as much as we can help in contributing towards development through maybe foreign direct investment,” Mahathir told ABS-CBN News, during an official visit to the Philippines.

Highlighting the importance of economic development after the peace process in the long-fought Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao's (BARMM), Mahathir said: “And that I think when the economy is doing well, the tendency for violence is much reduced.”

He also said the Philippines may look at “models” in the world in helping Mindanao progress, according to the ABS-CBN News.

Considering the potential of the region, Malaysia and the BARMM should increase economic relations, Mahathir said.

Also noting that there is a spread of extremist ideas in Asian countries, he said they were not trying to understand the root of the problem.

He said fighting these ideas without finding the root cause would not bring success.

The Philippines' landmark Bangsamoro Organic Law was officially ratified following a two-round plebiscite, which granted comprehensive autonomy to Moro Muslims, ending decades of conflict between the government and the Moro Muslims.

A transitional authority was formed last month to govern the BARMM.

- Autonomous government

In the new region, courts of Islamic law will be established, and the Philippines’ central government will transfer its administrative authority in Mindanao to the Bangsamoro government.

The waters in the Bangsamoro region will be simultaneously managed by the national government as well as the Bangsamoro government.

The autonomous government will be responsible for the management of energy resources.

Muslims will be free in their internal affairs, but bound to the Philippines in foreign policy, with some flexibility.

In addition, former Moro National Liberation Front and Moro Islamic Liberation Front MILF fighters will be eligible to join official armed forces.

* Sena Guler contributed to this report from Ankara.