KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s ongoing dusk-to-dawn curfew in its coastal areas which ends on Thursday (Jan 5) has been extended to Jan 20.
The curfew, which was extended for the 202nd time under Section 31(4) of the Police Act 1967, was implemented on July 16, 2014.
Under the curfew, residents in areas covered by the rule were required to stay at home from 6pm to 6am, while outsiders were not allowed to enter the curfew zones.
Sabah Police Commissioner Comm Datuk Idris Abdullah said the curfew covers areas up to three nautical miles off Sandakan, Beluran, Kinabatangan, Lahad Datu, Kunak, Semporna, and Tawau.
The extension of the curfew, he said, was necessary due to existing threats from cross-border criminals including from kidnap-for-ransom (KFR) groups.
He added the curfew was required to ensure criminals from the southern part of The Philippines did not intrude into Malaysian waters to threaten the safety of international researchers or tourists visiting islands in Sabah.
"Our intelligence sources detected that KFR groups as well as the Abu Sayyaf group were still attempting to enter the country to carry out kidnapping as well as other crimes," he said in a statement on Wednesday (Jan 4).
"The curfew will allow security forces to look after the safety of Sabahans and others who travel at sea and those living in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (Esszone).
"It will also allow us to monitor the movement of vessels as well as create a sense of security and confidence among chalet operators and fishermen through the wide presence of security vessels enforcing this curfew," Comm Idris added.
He said he had also given the authority to the respective district police chiefs to issue permits to any applicant who fulfils the necessary requirements to conduct fishing activities or to ply the sea routes in the curfew areas.
The curfew was enforced following a spate of kidnappings that saw the beheading of Sarawakian Bernard Then Ted Fen and the killing of several others, including a policeman and tourists.
