Higher security level in Sabah, no kidnappings in 2017

KOTA KINABALU: The year 2017 has seen the government's high-level commitment and consistency in safeguarding the sovereignty of Sabah and the security of its people, particularly in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone),
The federal and state governments continue to join forces, resources and ideas to raise the level of preparedness of the security personnel in the ESSZone in curbing any transborder crime threats, especially kidnapping for ransom and infiltration by militant groups.
In this regard, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had on Sept 29, announced that the government would deploy about 500 People's Volunteer Corps (Rela) members as a pilot project to assist in monitoring security in the ESSZone.
According to Ahmad Zahid, who is also Home Minister, a total of 6,148 active Rela members out of 121,888 registered in Sabah, would be deployed to the ESSZone in stages in the future.
On Oct 12, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, along with his Indonesian and Filipino counterparts, launched the Trilateral Air Patrol (TAP) operations over the Sulu Sea to tackle cross-border crime, including terrorist threats and kidnapping.
Every effort by the government clearly has had a huge impact on security and the people of Sabah in ensuring continued economic and social development in the state.
For example, Sabah Chief Minister Tan Sri Musa Aman, who is also co-chairman of the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) Advisory Board, recently told the Sabah State Legislative Assembly that there had been no kidnapping in the ESSZone throughout this year.
The kidnapping of five fishermen by the Abu Sayyaf militant group of the southern Philippines in the Lahad Datu waters on July 18, last year was the last of such a case involving Malaysians.
However, all the men, aged between 24 and 63, were rescued by the Philippine military forces in March this year and they returned safely to their respective families.
On Dec 4 this year, members of the security forces in the ESSZone gunned down a 31-year-old man, known as Commander Paliyak @ Yusuf, who was believed to be involved in a number of sea robberies and kidnappings in waters off Kunak and Lahad Datu since 2014.
Meanwhile, the curfew order being enforced since July 19, 2014 in the ESSZone has helped in maintaining safety in the areas and boosting economic growth in Sabah, including tourism.
According to Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, a total of 3.65 million tourists – out of whom 2.1 million were locals and 1.4 million foreigners – had visited the state up to October this year.
In fact, the number was higher than the 3.4 million tourists recorded in 2016.
The year 2017 also saw the launch of two more work packages of the Sabah Pan Borneo Highway project by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, bringing the total number of work packages launched so far to six.
On March 4, Najib launched the upgrading of the Sindumin-Kampung Melalia road alignment, spanning 28.4km, in Sipitang.
The project involving upgrading of the existing two-lane road into a four-lane, and the construction of two interchanges and three bridges will provide access to the oil and gas-based economic corridor between Sipitang and Kimanis.
Najib also launched the sixth package of the Pan Borneo Highway project stretching 19.6km to connect Putatan with Inanam on Nov 18.
Speaking at the launch of the Putatan-Inanam package, Najib said RM12.86 billion had been allocated for the construction of the 706km Pan Borneo Highway from Sindumin to Tanjung Simpang Mengayau on the west coast and from Ranau to Sandakan, Lahad Datu and Tawau on the east coast. — Bernama