Zahid suspects Esscom's operating info being leaked
Published on: Thursday, September 29, 2016
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Putra Jaya: Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pic) on Wednesday expressed worries over the possibility that certain quarters have been leaking information on the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) security forces' operation methods to the extent of causing kidnapping cases to be rampant in the area. The Deputy Prime Minister said such action would give the enemies ample time and space to carry out criminal act against the country. "I am not accusing, but everything is possible," he said in response to the robbery and kidnapping of a Malaysian skipper of a trawler boat by the Abu Sayyaf militant group in the waters off Semporna near Pulau Gaya, Tuesday night.
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Speaking to reporters after closing the Islamic Consultative Council Economic Multaqa here, Ahmad Zahid said the Government had always been cautious when it comes to Abu Sayyaf group, which was reported to have been active in kidnapping and collecting ransom to finance the operation of a terrorist group known as Khatibah Nusantara. Ahmad Zahid, who is also Home Minister, said the Khatibah Nusantara was currently making an effort to unite various terrorist groups in Southeast Asia.
In the 9.30pm incident on Tuesday, skipper Ruslan Sarapin, 39, was kidnapped by six armed men while fishing with his 26 crew members. Half an hour after the incident, the same armed men robbed another 19-crew fishing boat in the waters off Tungku, Lahad Datu.
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Ahmad Zahid also called on the public to play their roles in curbing the kidnapping and crime incidents in the area by channelling information to the authorities if there were any suspicious incidents along the 1,700km coast. Meanwhile, the Home Ministry wants fishermen in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (Esszone) to invest on installing the Automated Identification System (AIS) on their ships or boats for security purposes.
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Its Deputy Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed said the device could help the security forces in monitoring and identifying movements of over 800 commercial ships in the Esszone on a daily basis. "The fishermen can refer to the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry on the installation of the AIS because the system can send an emergency signal to the security forces immediately should there be any untoward incidents," he said in Tawau, Wednesday. He was commenting on the incidents where a group of armed men kidnapped a trawler owner and robbed his 26 crew members in waters off Gaya Island, Semporna before committing another robbery in Tungku waters, Lahad Datu, Tuesday night. It was reported that the boats involved were not equipped with AIS and other communications devices as recommended by the authorities; had been operating within the curfew zone off Sabah; and did not carry an exemption permit from the respective district police chiefs.
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Nur Jazlan also advised the fishermen to carry out their activities within the controlled areas by the security forces and to not violate the curfew. They also need to have good ties with the security agencies in the Esszone, especially with the Eastern Sabah Security Command and to inform the movements of their ships or boats when they go out for fishing activities, he said.