Philippine officials, Muslim rebels begin peace talks in Malaysia

Najib, who is also Malaysia's defence minister, urged representatives from the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to continue their resolve to end decades of fighting.

"It is my hope that the last obstacle can be resolved - that is the handing over of a province to be governed by the MILF," Najib was quoted as saying by the official Bernama news agency late Tuesday, ahead of Wednesday's talks.

"The international monitoring team led by us has been stationed in the area for more than three years, and we cannot be there indefinitely. There must be a deadline, and a political solution must be found."

The two-day talks in Kuala Lumpur would include finalizing discussions on ancestral domain and on a proposed Muslim homeland in the region of Mindanao.