Spirit of unity can help to maintain peace in ESSZone

SANDAKAN: The Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone) community has been urged to continue practising the spirit of “ittihad” (unity) and cooperation with the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) in order to maintain peace and calm in the area.

ESSCom chief executive officer Ruji Ubi said this was important as the agency was not only facing enemies from outside the country but also from within, particularly illegal migrants.

He said the ESSZone community needed to realise and accept the unique situation, and should not point the blame finger at any quarters, but to instead assist ESSCom to succeed in its mission of ensuring security in the ESSZone at all times.

“Each time when a cross-border crime incident occurs in the ESSZone, including kidnapping, ESSCom personnel become the target of condemnation and wild accusations by certain quarters.

“However, they don’t realise that ESSCom has foiled at least six kidnapping attempts before the kidnapping incident at Ocean King Restaurant in Sandakan.

“This incident which involved foreign individuals already in Sabah or illegals should serve as a lesson for all citizens to come together and be united in combating the threat.”

Speaking at an Al Falaq event organised by ESSCom at Nur Muhammad Mosque in Dandulit, near here on Tuesday night, Ruji also explained the rationale behind the intensified integrated operations in six ESSZone districts, namely Kudat, Sandakan, Lahad Datu, Kunak, Semporna and Tawau.

He said the operations, involving various federal and state enforcement agencies and coordinated by ESSCom, were not meant to victimise or inconvenience any quarters, including traders, but to clear the ESSZone of illegals and smuggling activities.

Ruji said the drastic action came after the disclosure of the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry on Illegals in Sabah and the directive from Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman, who is also the ESSZone Committee chairman, for big-scale operations to be conducted to curb the influx of illegals.

“The majority of the people support the integrated operations which, according to them, give new hope to Sabah which has for long, been grappling with the problem of illegals.

“Let us all unite to realise this noble mission of the government,” he said. - Bernama