Constant guard: Security forces under Esscom patrolling the beach of Tanjung Labian in Lahad Datu, close to Kg Tanduo where Sulu intruders landed on Feb 12, 2013.
KOTA KINABALU: It has been quiet on Sabah’s eastern front over the past three years. The notorious Abu Sayyaf-linked kidnap groups and other militant elements seemed to have been kept at bay amid a more visible presence of Malaysian security forces along the Sabah sea that borders with Philippines’ Tawi Tawi chain of islands.
The suspected groups have been seen close to Malaysian sea borders waiting for the right time to slip in but the presence of patrol vessels has frustrated the perpetrators.
Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) has over the past few years thwarted dozens of attempt by the kidnap groups to slip into the state, not only through a show of force but also intelligence-sharing from their counterparts in the Philippines.
For now, the menace of cross-border kidnappings seems to have ebbed with Esscom marking its 10th anniversary of its formation on April 1, 2013.
But, in the minds of all the country’s security forces – the threat of kidnapping and intrusion still remains on the horizon.
“We cannot let our guard down,” said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani.
He said the security along Sabah’s east coast was no doubt under control but it should not be a reason for anyone to let their guard down, as there was a continuing threat from cross-border criminals and certain quarters staking claims on Sabah.
“We must send the message that we are always ready and will not compromise on the security of the nation and state,” he said, adding that they were in the process of adding two more police General Operations Force (GOF) battalions to beef up the five existing battalions in the east coast.
“The police were also applying for additional security posts to improve the marine force in efficiently tackling threats at sea,” he told reporters during a visit here last week.
Esscom Commander Datuk Hamzah Ahmad reiterated their commitment to protect the sovereignty of the country in marking the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the multi-agency integrated defence outfit on April 1.
He said they remain ready to deal with any threat, including from cross-border criminals and militants.
He said the threat remains from militant groups, including the Daulah Islamiyah-Maute Group (DI-MG) and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) that have been active in the neighbouring country.
With ongoing offensive against them in their home country, Hamzah said there could be spillover that could threaten the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (Esszone).
Esscom came into being after a group of southern Philippine-based gunmen aligned to self-claimed Sulu Sultan, Jamalul Kiram III, intruded into Kg Tanduo in Lahad Datu on Feb 12, 2013 in a bid claim back their “ancestral land”.
The attack was repulsed by Malaysian security forces but that left 10 security personnel dead and 68 Sulu militants killed at the coastal village, about a 30-minute high speed boat ride from Tawi Tawi island in southern Philippines.
Hamzah said various operations focused on Esszone were aimed at consolidating defences at the international borders.
Operation Sanggah Esscom in Esszone, “Ops Gasak Laut”, “Ops Gasak Darat” and “Ops Bersepadu”, are mounted to track cross-border criminals and check on possible incursions.
