PUTRAJAYA: Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar has dispelled talks that militants from the southern Philippines had landed on the shores of east coast Sabah.
“Those are just rumours. Hundreds, thousands of people from the southern Philippines come to Sabah through legal entry points.
“It is normal for people to travel between the southern Philippines and east coast of Sabah.
“We monitor those coming through the entry points and will take action as soon as we detect any elements of terrorism,” he said to reporters here Friday.
It was reported that fake social media messages claiming intruders had streamed across the state had stirred alarm among the people.
WhatsApp messages about various topics, including that of pirates being detected along the shores of the east coast and two Abu Sayyaf arrested in Kinabatangan, were quickly denied by the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom).
Its commander Datuk Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid had urged the public to remain calm and check with the Esscom Operations Centre 089-863181 to clarify on such matters.
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