LAHAD DATU: The Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) will not sit back but instead continues to develop strategies to face the remnants of the cross-border criminals although one of the leaders of the militant group Abu Sayyaf, who was linked to the kidnapping of two Malaysians in Sandakan, was killed recently.
ESSCom commander DCP Datuk Abdul Rashid Harun said ESSCom took a serious view on the threat by remnants of the criminals who could jeopardise the peace and security in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone).
“ESSCom will streamline and arrange various strategies to curb the entry of the remnants of the cross-border criminals (from southern Philippines) to Sabah through the ESSZone waters using existing assets,” he said.
Abdul Rashid said this in his speech at the opening of the Women’s Volleyball Championship for the Commander’s Trophy yesterday.
Also present were ESSCom chief executive officer Ruji Ubi and ESSCom director of intelligence Datuk Md Rahim Mohammad.
Last Thursday, a Philippines newspaper was quoted as saying that the country’s military confirmed one of the suspected kidnappers in Sandakan recently, had been shot dead.
Mindas Muktadil was reportedly killed during a shootout with the security forces in the street at Jolo, the stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf group in the southern Philippines.
Mindas and his brother, Kadafy were believed involved in the kidnapping of Thien Nyuk Fun, 50, and Bernard Then Ted Fen, 39 at the Ocean King Restaurant in Sandakan. They were reported to be taken to Jolo.
Abdul Rashid said ESSCom had foiled at least six kidnapping attempts in ESSZone before the incident in Sandakan.
He urged the people in Sabah, especially community in ESSZone, to always cooperate with ESSCom in further strengthening security in the vast ESSZone area.
“ESSCom needs the support and involvement of all parties, especially in terms of dissemination of information to the security forces,” he said.
Meanwhile, Abdul Rashid said the volleyball championship aimed to strengthen ties and unity, would also be held at the other districts in ESSZone in stages.