Important for people to know about curfew – Teo

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KOTA KINABALU: It is very important for the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) to ensure that information regarding the curfew is accurately disseminated to the people affected by it, especially those who are staying in the coastal areas and relying on fishing for a living.

Minister of Special Functions, Datuk Teo Chee Kang, said that this is to prevent any untoward incidents in the six coastal areas where the dusk-to-dawn curfew is imposed.

According to Teo, who is also the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) president, if the residents in the curfew zone know and understand the reason behind the decision, they will abide by it and thus cooperate with the security forces.

“It is very important to ensure that all these people know about the curfew, abide by it and cooperate with the security personnel. Together we can play our part to ensure that whatever measures taken by ESSCom are complied with,” Teo said this after officiating at the LDP Likas, Api Api, Moyog and Inanam’s joint annual general meeting.

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jalaludin Abdul Rahman on Saturday said that the police have imposed a 14-day dusk-to-dawn curfew in six coastal areas and water borders along the east coast of Sabah as part of efforts to maintain security.

The six districts are Sandakan, Kinabatangan, Lahad Datu, Semporna, Kunak and Tawau, including the local waters of three nautical miles from the shores to the international borders with the Philippines.

Jalaludin said the area spanned some 362 nautical miles covering some 121,272 square nautical miles or 194,035 kilometers, starting from Tanjung Pundaras, Sandakan right up to the jetty in Tawau.

“The curfew will be from 6pm to 6am, involving coastal areas and water borders only, for a period of 14 days beginning July 19 and ending on August 2,” he said, adding that under the Police Act 1967, the curfew is intended as a short-term measure, which is to address an immediate public order or security situation.

“That is why it is limited to 15 days only,” he said and stressed that that during the curfew, only the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP), Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF), Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) are permitted at these locations.

Jalaluddin said the curfew is to curb kidnapping and terrorist activities along the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone).

“Therefore, during the curfew, no sea activities are permitted and anyone caught violating this order will be arrested and charged under Section 31 (2) of the Police Act 1967, which carries a fine of RM500 or jail term of up to six months.

“If the security forces identify or are faced with a security threat, involving ‘hot pursuit’ with the intruders, the order of open fire or ‘shoot on sight’ will be implemented,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Jalaluddin said notices have been distributed to the public in those six areas, including resort operators, fish farm operators and fishermen to ensure they comply with the order.