KOTA KINABALU: The authorities have remained tightlipped over claims that a kidnapping may have taken place in Tambisan waters off Lahad Datu.
The Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) have so far declined to comment on the details of the supposed incident.
While Esscom has remained mum, it is understood that Sabah police commissioner Datuk Abdul Rashid Harun has yet to receive information on the case.
Sabah, in particular its east coast, have been reeling from a series of kidnap incidents. The last kidnapping took place in Kinabatangan waters on Nov 5, where gunmen abducted an Indonesian fisherman from a fishing boat.
As the group fled towards international waters, they abducted another Indonesian fisherman from another boat.
On July 18, five Malaysians were abducted in Lahad Datu waters. They are currently being held hostage by the Abu Sayyaf kidnap-for-ransom group in the southern Philippines.
The issue of kidnappings at sea has become an area of concern for not only Malaysia, but also Indonesia and the Philippines. Philippines President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, in a meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on Nov 10, had pldeged that his administration will give permission for Malaysian and Indonesian authorities to pursue kidnappers who enter Philippine waters.
The standard operating procedure on the agreement is expected to be ironed out by the foreign ministers of the three countries when they meet in Vientiane, Laos on Nov 22.
Semporna Fishermen's Association Salleh Abdul Salleh, meanwhile, claimed that two fishermen were kidnapped by gunmen at 7.30pm.
“I was informed by a friend who is also a fisherman. He has contacted Esscom over the incident,” he said.
It was learnt that police assets have been deployed to Tungku waters after being alerted of the incident.
All security posts on land were also instructed to be on the lookout for any suspicious landing of boat in respective area.