Sabah Marks Warriors Day Celebration with Tribute to Tanduo Fallen Heroes

Sabah marks Warrior Day with a touching tribute to the country's fallen heroes during the foreign assault of Sabah / Malaysia soil at Tanduo, Lahad Datu, in 2013 which ended with significant casualties including Malaysian police and military personnel. The tribute marked the State-level 2025 Warriors Day celebration on 31 July 2025 at the State Police Headquarters, Kepayan, Kota Kinabalu. Head of State Tun Musa Aman graced the occasion, accompanied by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor.

Tun Musa inspected the guard-of-honour and observed the hoisting of the national and state flags and the Last Post. Sabah Commissioner of Police Datuk Jauteh Dikun accompanied the TYT the Chief Minister to the Sabah Police Museum and armed forces exhibition booths. In 2013, Tanduo, a village near Lahad Datu in the east coast of Sabah, was the site of a standoff and subsequent confrontation between Malaysian security forces and a group of 235 armed men from the Sulu Archipelago, who attacked by sea and who claimed to be followers of the defunct Sulu Sultanate.

The intruders’ objective was to assert the Philippines’ territorial claim to eastern Sabah. The Malaysian Government responded by blockading the area and engaging unsuccessfully in negotiations. The standoff escalated into armed conflict when the intruders refused to surrender. The Malaysian security forces launched an offensive called Operation Dalat or Operation Sovereign. The military clashes spread beyond Tanduo, impacting surrounding areas. By March 2013, Malaysian forces have successfully secured Tanduo. The conflict resulted in the deaths of 72 people, including 58 of the intruders, 9 Malaysian security personnel, and 6 civilians. The Lahad Datu standoff is considered one of the deadliest attacks on Malaysian soil in recent decades. Nine of the surviving intruders were captured and were later sentenced to death.