KOTA KINABALU: Former Sabah Chief Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal has urged the federal government to relocate some of its military assets from Peninsular Malaysia to Borneo.
Malaysiakini reported that while debating the 2025 budget, Mohd Shafie (Warisan-Semporna) said that the security threat in Sabah is higher, thus it is very appropriate for the government to increase surveillance in the affected areas.
Mohd Shafie said that his own area of Semporna was once attacked by a group of pirates, and now Sabah faces risks from foreign military forces through the South China Sea.
“Today, in a situation where the country is facing threats in the South China Sea, unfortunately, there are no defence facilities.”
“Imagine if there was an incident in Tanduo, Lahad Datu, back then (2013); fighter jets had to be flown from Labuan to Lahad Datu.”
“There are no helicopters (in Sabah); they had to be brought from Labuan,” he said.
At the same time, Mohd Shafie, who is also a former defence minister, added that Sabah faces various risks due to the state’s position bordering Indonesia and the Philippines as well as the South China Sea.
“There aren’t that many pirates in Lumut, Perak.” At the Lumut (military base), there are already many warships. So, allocate some of it to be sent to Sabah for defence,” he said.
