LAHAD DATU: A group, belonging to the Pala’u community or ‘Sea Gypsies’ is allegedly involved in smuggling illegal immigrants and contraband into Sabah.
Its action is thus, posing a sure-fire threat to national security, especially in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone).
The Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) authorities are not amused over the manner the community is exploited by irresponsible parties.
ESSCom public director Ruji Ubi said it was imperative to address the exploitation of the Pala’u people by such parties.
Nevertheless, he said it was not easy to resolve the matter without the support of all parties.
Ruji said this after chairing a special meeting at the ESSCom headquarters here yesterday to discuss how best to tackle the issue.
The meeting was attended by ESSCom commander Datuk Abdul Rashid Harun, ESSCom Strategic Communication chief Mohd Yusri Hashim, district officials and representatives of various government
departments and agencies, including the National Security Council and the immigration department.
Ruji said ESSCom took the initiative to convene the meeting to discuss the matter in depth and obtain feedback and views of all parties concerned.
The Pala’u community is believed to have originated over 300 years ago from the Johor Riau Archipelago, especially Lingga Island and then migrated to the islands of the southern Philippines and North Borneo, about 100 years ago after the fall of the Melaka empire.
They are known as ‘sea gypsies’ because of their nomadic way of life at sea, and the majority of them are still living on boats and practise a seaborne lifestyle.
A large number of the Pala’u community are now residing in the waters around Semporna, Kunak, Lahad Datu and Sandakan. — Bernama