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Lahad Datu: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said 500 Rela members from the Volunteer Department will be deployed to assist in monitoring the security in Eastern Sabah Security Zone (Esszone) from Jan 2018."The mobilisation of 500 Rela members has already begun," he told a press conference during a working visit of the 17 Battalion, General Operations Force (PGA), here, Thursday.

Earlier, Ahmad Zahid and Sabah Chief Minister Tan Sri Musa Aman heard a briefing by Commander of Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom), Datuk Hazani Ghazali, and Rela Director-General Zulkifli Abidin.

Ahmad Zahid said the purpose of his visit was a follow-up on the decisions made in the two Esscom Advisory Board meetings to ensure that security in Esszone was under control.

"We discussed about some actions to curb cross-border crimes as we cannot give any space to cross border criminals."

Ahmad Zahid and Musa were satisfied with the security level of areas under Esscom.

In September, Ahmad Zahid, who is also Home Minister, said the Government agreed to mobilise 6,148 Rela members to assist in monitoring the security in 10 districts in Esszone.

Some 500 Rela members would be trained in the pioneer project, he was quoted as saying after a meeting of the Esszone Advisory Board.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid confirmed that two Immigration Department officers at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) have been arrested over the smuggling of Bangladesh nationals.

He said the two officers were stationed at the KLIA Immigration counter.

"A number of officers are suspected to be involved in the case but so far, only two have been arrested," he said.

Ahmad Zahid said he had instructed Immigration Director-General Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali to tighten control at the checkpoints, especially at KLIA.

"We will replace the group (of Immigration officers) suspected to be involved in the migrants smuggling case with another group of officers.

"At the same time, we will increase the number of Immigration officers from other offices to be placed at KLIA," he added.