LAHAD DATU: Security control in Sabah especially in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone) will be further strengthened with new assets and technology, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said.
He said infiltration by foreign elements was a big problem for the state, and therefore internal security would need to be strengthened and improved to resolve the issue.
“That is why during my discussion with Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hazani Ghazali and Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) commander Datuk Ahmad Fuad Othman, we felt that Sabah is an area that the government needs to strengthen.
“I will discuss this issue with the National Security Council, regarding this new strategy,” he told reporters after completing his working visit to ESSCom here today.
He also praised the cooperation between the Malaysian Armed Forces, Royal Malaysia Police and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency in ESSCom and the National Task Force (NTF), especially in the enforcement of Op Benteng, which led to many arrests and curbed the flow of illegal immigrants into the country during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, Hamzah also announced the approval of RM1 million in allocation to ESSCom to cover the costs of security post upgrades in ESSZone.
Hamzah today visited the Pala’u community settlement in Kampung Panji Laut here and said that the longstanding issue needed to be solved strategically.
“I will discuss with Sabah Chief Minister (Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor) and other political leaders in the state regarding the joint actions that can be taken,” he said.
Hamzah said he did not want the Pala’u issue to be politicised, especially when steps are taken by the government to solve the issue.
Usually when the government announces (some plan), there will be people who come up with negative statements until the government’s efforts cannot be conducted well,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hamzah said Malaysians should not be concerned about the harsh warning issued by North Korean counsellor Kim Yu Song against the country.
“In terms of national security, I would like to inform Malaysians that we at the Home Ministry do not feel threatened at all … it will also not affect our internal security,” he said.
Yu Song, in a statement to the media before leaving the North Korean embassy yesterday, said Malaysia would have to bear the consequences of extraditing a North Korean national to the United States.
In retaliation for the extradition, North Korea severed diplomatic ties with Malaysia. — BERNAMA
