Full backing against threats
Published on: Friday, July 26, 2024
Hajiji (right) receiving a memento from Ruji, witnessed by Saifuddin (centre).
Kota Kinabalu: The State Government will provide full support to the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) and all security forces in curbing the threat of invasion by foreign elements, extremists, influx of illegal immigrants (PTI) and cross-border criminals, especially in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (Esszone).
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the Home Ministry (KDN) in general and Esscom, in particular, would continue to actively conduct operations to safeguard the security and sovereignty of the country from being breached by irresponsible parties and disrupting the peace of Sabah.
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“In line with the empowerment of Sabah Maju Jaya, I strongly support initiatives to improve infrastructure, assets, human resources and the needs of security, enforcement and defence agencies to ensure the level of interoperability and preparedness is at the highest level,” he said at the Esszone Joint Committee Meeting Number 1, 2024, at Menara Kinabalu, here, Thursday.
Hajiji and Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail co-chaired the meeting. Also present were State Secretary Datuk Seri Sr. Safar Untong and KDN Secretary-General Datuk Ruji Ubi, State Attorney-General Datuk Brenndon Soh and Datuk Ag Shahminan Ag Sahari, Secretary of Home Affairs and Research, Chief Minister’s Department.
The Chief Minister said as part of the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), Sabah is in a very strategic location with the East Coast of Sabah as a hub for new economic growth due to its proximity to other EAGAs.
Hajiji said the creation of Indonesia’s new capital, Nusantara in East Kalimantan will also add to Sabah’s merits and excellence.
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“These positive developments should be taken advantage of because the influx of people and companies to Borneo will catalyse the State’s economic growth.
“The Government believes that domestic and international investors can explore this sub-region with a market of over 70 million users and growing,” he said.
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He said Esscom has become a security brand that is used as a reference by foreign parties to make investments.
According to him, strategic cooperation between the State and Federal Governments through the KDN is essential to ensure that Sabah’s economic development planning can be implemented successfully.
He said the State Government is committed to ensuring that the security situation at the maritime border covering the archipelago, coastal and river areas as well as the land border, especially in the Esszone, is in a good and controlled condition.
Hajiji said this is because Sabah’s large maritime area is a contributor to the generation of economic prosperity for Malaysia as a maritime region that is inseparable from security threats and cross-border criminal activities.
“Therefore, precise coordination between the State Government and KDN through all agencies under it such as Esscom will always be mobilised to deal with these issues in Sabah, in particular, and Malaysia, in general, through proactive and strategic measures to preserve sovereignty, prevent and eradicate security threats from continue to happen in the future,” he stressed.
Hajiji hopes through the joint committee meeting, they will be able to reach a consensus in further improving the implementation of security operations and welfare programmes for the people, further increasing the confidence of the people in this region.
Meanwhile, Hajiji and Saifuddin also attended the Management of Foreigners in Sabah Main Committee (JKPWAS-MINDUK) Meeting No. 1, 2024, at Menara Kinabalu.
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