KOTA KINABALU: Safety concerns in Sabah’s east coast curfew areas can be alleviated if security measures are strengthened, says Datuk Jaujan Sambakong.
In the wake of a recent proposal to downsize the dusk-to-dawn sea curfew, the Sulabayan assemblyman said the move has its pros and cons.
“What is important for now is to ensure all security measures are in place efficiently.
“Since the curfew was implemented in 2014, we see how cross border crimes, especially kidnap-for-ransom incidents have gone down,” he said.
Jaujan said this shows how the Eastern Sabah Security Zone and the curfew had kept coastal areas safer.
However, he said the ongoing curfew is also an indication of security threats, which has affected the tourism and fisheries industry.
“With the proposed downsizing, we need to ensure our trilateral cooperation with the Philippines and Indonesia continue to grow, have stronger intelligence sources and also for our security assets and manpower to be increased,” he said.
Taking Switzerland as an example, Jaujan said when he visited the country not too long ago, he saw there were not many police patrolling the sea or roads.
“But the level of security is very high because their intelligence is very strong,” he said.
Jaujan also said there should be a time when the curfew is lifted altogether but until then, all stakeholders including the government, security agencies, leaders and local communities must play a role to ensure a safer and better economic and social environment.
Sandakan Fishermen Association chairman Chin Git Chong said the present curfew or the proposed downsizing was not the main concern at the moment.
“Our members are more concerned about the lack of fuel for their vessels to operate,” he said.
Chin said the community had gotten used to the curfew and that they could still go out to the sea to fish at the given time.
He said the curfew had helped reduce the number of crimes and if security forces and the government were able to improve and boost security, it was alright to downsize the curfew areas.
On May 16, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said they were looking into downsizing the curfew areas and considering changing the name of the exercise to Restricted Movement Control Area.
