Night curfew extended again for Sabah east coast

KOTA KINABALU: The dusk-to-dawn sea curfew in Sabah's east coast has been extended for another two weeks to boost continuing efforts to curb cross-border criminal and smuggling activities.

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman said the 7pm-to-5am curfew has been extended from March 31 to April 15 under Section 31(4) of the Police Act 1967.

The police chief said continuation of the curfew that has been in place for more than eight months was to ensure the continued security and safety of tourist, fishermen and the people in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (Esszone).

He said security forces were also better placed to monitor any groups trying to enter the east coast waters illegally to carry out cross-border crimes including human and firearms smuggling,

Jalaluddin said that the sea curfew in the east coast districts had the support of resort operators and the fishing industry, as it proved effective in maintaining security in the area that was hit by at least three cross-border kidnappings last year.

Fishermen should obtain their permits from respective district police chiefs to carry out their activities during the curfew imposed three nautical miles from the shoreline.

The curfew covers Sandakan, Kinabatangan, Lahad Datu, Semporna, Kunak and Tawau.

Security forces put in place a curfew on July 18 in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone after the July 12 attack at the Mabul Water Bungalows in Semporna, when a policeman was killed and another kidnapped by a cross-border group.