JOINT EFFORT: Hamzah (right) and Kalimantan Timur police chief Dr Bambang Wadaryatmo speaking to the media after their meeting yesterday. — Bernama photo
TAWAU: Sabah and East Kalimantan police created history of sorts when they accepted the suggestion by the latter’s governor to involve their top brass in their annual meeting.
Sabah was represented by State Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib while East Kalimantan by its Police chief, Drs Bambang Widaryatmo.
Hamza led a police delegation from Sabah to Pulau Nunukan in Indonesia to meet his Kalimantan counterpart for talks on issues of mutual interest.
“Prior to this, the meeting only involved lower rank officers from the Sabah Marine Task Force (MTF) and Indonesian marine police in East Kalimantan.
“If we didn’t have such rapport, we would have been forced to follow protocol. We have to be aware that the world now is borderless, if we don’t act quickly, we will not be able to contain a situation promptly, which could create problems not only for us but for Indonesia,” he said.
Hamza told reporters on his arrival together with Drs Bambang in Tawau from Pulau Nunukan yesterday.
Drs Bambang, meanwhile, said the cooperation would motivate marine enforcement officers and personnel of both regions to carry out their responsibilities with more dedication, as well as enable both sides to work together to tackle crimes at sea. — Bernama