Integrated air ops to boost security in Sabah’s east coast

KUCHING, 27 Okt -- Sebuah helikopter Nuri turut melakukan persembahan pada pertunjukan udara oleh pesawat TUDM sempena pameran TUDM di Pangkalan Udara Kuching hari ini. Lebih 10,000 orang berpusu-pusu hadir bagi menyaksikan persembahan udara yang berlangsung di Pangkalan Udara Kuching hari ini sempena Hari Terbuka Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia (TUDM). 
Ia adalah persembahan kedua tahun ini selepas di Pangkalan Udara Butterworth bulan lepas dan diadakan sempena ulang tahun TUDM ke-60.
Orang ramai disajikan dengan deruman enjin pesawat TUDM yang melakukan pelbagai aksi dan formasi menarik yang dikendalikan juruterbang-juruterbang TUDM.
Turut diadakan gimik pembukaan yang dipersembahkan oleh Pasukan Khas Udara (PASKAU) dalam melakukan aksi demonstrasi 'fast roping', diikuti letupan 'pyrotechnic' dan Hawkterbang lintas udara oleh pesawat A400M, F/A-18D dan Hawk yang melakukan pengisian minyak di ruang udara.
Panglima Tentera Udara Jeneral Tan Sri Datuk Affendi Buang menyempurnakan perasmian Hari Terbuka TUDM itu dan turut hadir Timbalan Menteri Pertahanan Senator Liew Chin Tong.
Pelbagai aktiviti lain turut diadakan iaitu pameran statik pesawat TUDM di kawasan dispersal. Antara pesawat yang dipamerkan adalah helikopter EC 725 AP, pesawatA400M, pesawat C130H, pesawat CB 235, pesawat Hawk 108/208, pesawat F/A-18D dan pesawat Sukhoi SU-30MKM.
 -- fotoBERNAMA (2018) HAK CIPTA TERPELIHARA

KOTA KINABALU: The Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) will engage in integrated air operations in a bid to boost security in the state's  east coast.

Esscom Air Division staff chief Brig Jen Ayub Khan Mohamad Khan said this initiative will be carried out with cooperation from other agencies.

He said for this purpose, aircraft from the armed and air forces based in Sabah’s east coast such as the Fennec, Nuri and Agusta helicopters, among others, will be used.

“This move is important to help us better monitor our areas of surveillance and identify threats, intrusions and other elements that could disrupt the security and peace of the people in Sabah,” he said during an event in Lahad Datu on Thursday (Feb 21).

Ayub said the areas of interest are on the Malaysian-Philippines borders.

 “These drastic steps are also taken to eradicate all cross-border crime,” he said, adding that cross-border criminals used the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (Esszone), comprising 10 districts, as their staging points to commit crimes including kidnappings and smuggling.

The Esszone comprises the Kudat, Kota Marudu, Pitas, Beluran, Sandakan, Kinabatangan, Lahad Datu, Kunak, Semporna and Tawau districts.

Ayub said the additional air surveillance would create a stronger security presence in the Esszone as well.

 “We are thankful that the armed forces and police as well as other security agencies have been very cooperative with our operations, efforts and programmes,” he said.

He said such cooperation also allowed the local communities and tourists to feel safe in the Esszone areas.