Lahad Datu: Maritime agency to erect sentry post in Felda Sahabat to curb intrusion, piracy

LAHAD DATU: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) will construct a sentry post in Felda Sahabat to curb illegal intrusion and piracy in the waters near the land scheme.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Ahmad Maslan said it was also aimed at strengthening the level of security for settlers of the Felda land scheme and local residents in line with the formation of the Sabah Special Security Area announced Thursday.

"The Felda Sahabat jetty will be used as an operation centre for the MMEA," he said at a briefing with 30 settler heads of Felda Sahabat here Saturday.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Thursday announced the formation of the Sabah Special Security Area to protect the sovereignty and security of the state's east coast areas.

Najib said the areas covered the districts of Kudat, Tawau, Kunak, Sandakan and Lahad Datu.

Felda Sahabat encompasses an area measuring about 100,000ha and has about 6,500 settler families and 11,000 oil palm estate workers comprising mostly foreigners.

Ahmad said he had also proposed to the government that the Felda Auxiliary Police be supplied with more sophisticated weapons while the Malaysian People's Volunteer Force (Rela) be supplied with guns.

Currently, he said, the Felda Auxiliary Police was only supplied with shotguns that were only effective for a distance of about 50m while Rela was provided with batons. - Bernama