Zahid: ESSCom's SOP to be reviewed to overcome weaknesses

KOTA KINABALU: Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pix) said the standard operating procedure (SOP) of the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) would be reviewed to rectify any weaknesses.
He said a review of the SOP was needed as the ministry believed that no SOP was perfect and there was still room for improvement as a situation would always change and also because of public demand.
"We want to look again at the SOP and at the tasks carried out so far. Surely the people have been asking why encroachment and kidnappings are still happening," he told reporters at a breaking of fast with officers and staff of his ministry, here, today.
Present at the function were Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohd Bakri Mohd Zinin, Sabah Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Tawfiq Abu Bakar Titingan, state police commissioner Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman and former commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib.
Ahmad Zahid said besides assets and manpower, ESSCom would also pay serious attention to intelligence and information gathering and this would be done through cooperation between the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) intelligence division and the Royal Malaysian Police's (PDRM) special branch.
He said the intelligence division of the Malaysian security forces would also cooperate with their counterparts and the police information gathering unit in the Philippines in protecting Malaysia and that country's interests as the problem came from the southern Philippines.
"Hopefully, this cooperation will be a new chapter for ESSCom's operational leadership which will officially be taken over by PDRM this July 15," he said.
On the full takeover of ESSCom's operations by PDRM, Ahmad Zahid said the Home Ministry and PDRM thanked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak for giving his trust to the law enforcement agency.
He said although the responsibility would be a heavy one for PDRM, he believed that cooperation from the MAF and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) under the National Blue Ocean Strategy 7 (NBOS7) would boost ESSCom's operations.
On the position of ESSCom director-general Datuk Mohammad Mentek, Ahmad Zahid said this would be decided by the National Security Council and the prime minister.
On the rescue of fish breeding company manager, China national Yang Zai Lin, 34, early today after he was kidnapped from Pulau Baik, Lahad Datu on May 6 by a group of armed men, Ahmad Zahid said the success was due to information received on the case. – Bernama