KOTA KINABALU: A museum expected to open in March at the Sabah police headquarters in Kepayan will showcase 400 items linked to the February 2013 Lahad Datu intrusion.
In announcing this, Sabah Deputy Commissioner of Police Datuk Jauteh Dikun thanked the Federal Court, state and federal authorities for allowing the police to keep some of the seized items such as bullet shells, firearms, clothes and other items that were used by the intruders here.
He said an allocation of RM1mil has been given by the state government to build the police museum and another RM150,000 for the construction of a memorial at Kampung Tanduo.
Earlier, Royal Malaysian Police CID Director Datuk Seri Abdul Jalil Hassan said a total of 812 exhibits were returned to the police after the Federal Court allowed it on Jan 15, 2018.
He said the Ops Daulat exhibits and seized items would be kept for their historical value and to serve as a lesson and reminder for all citizens of the importance of keeping the nation safe.
He said out of the 812 exhibits, a total of 329 items including clothes, specimens and communications tools will be destroyed and the remaining weapons, knives, letters, books and other items related to the intruders will be handed over to the Sabah Police Museum.
“Money amounting to 341,000 pesos (or about RM26,000) will be handed over to the national treasury,” said Jalil.
He said it was vital that all Malaysians worked together to protect the sovereignty of the nation and said that the police force would continue their commitment to keeping this country safe.
“Today, we have completed the hand-over. We hope this will serve as a reminder to future generations of the importance of security and peace for all Malaysians,” he said.
In February 2013, over 200 Filipino militants landed at Kg Tanduo in the Lahad Datu area and this led to the deaths of dozens of civilians, intruders and 10 security forces personnel members.
An operation dubbed Ops Daulat was carried out during that period.
