Sabah wants full probe into claims of militants landing in Lahad Datu

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government wants a full investigation into claims that suspected foreign militant landed on Long Patau in the state’s easternmost tip of Lahad Datu in Tambisan.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Haji Noor (pic) said that he had directed security forces to leave "no stone unturned" in investigating allegations of armed intruders in Lahad Datu.

However, Hajiji said he had been briefed about the case by Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Idris Abdullah and that there was no indication of the alleged intruders in Lahad Datu.

The issue was raised after a villager claimed he saw the men arriving on boats in the area and were picked up by people in two vehicles.

However, upon questioning by police the villager could not show any evidence and it was suspected that he had personal reasons to talk about the alleged landing.

Sabah police, however, said that they remained on high alert across the state’s east coast to counter any form of intrusion or threats posed by militants or criminal elements.

On Saturday (Feb 5), Sabah Deputy Police Commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun said although there was no real evidence to show militants had infiltrated Lahad Datu, police would not take it lightly.

On Thursday (Feb 3), the Eastern Sabah Security Command confirmed that they were investigating claims that foreigners had landed in Long Patau, Tabisan which was less than ten minutes by boat from Philippines’ territory.

Jauteh said there was no real evidence of the landing but police continued to follow up on the claims through intelligence investigations to check on the authenticity of the claims.

Concerns over security over the east coast of Sabah surfaced late last year when unconfirmed reports claimed that southern Philippines based Sulu militants were hatching plans to invade Sabah.

Further claims that senior political figures were behind the plan was denied by the Philippines military, which subsequently explained that the meeting between Sulu governor Abdulsakur Tan and Sulu mayors was held to discuss maritime security issues in the Sulu area.

In Feb 2013, over 100 Sulu militants linked to a self-proclaimed Sulu Sultan intruded into Kg Tanduo in Lahad Datu and were defeated by Malaysian security forces.