TAWAU: Sabah has called on the federal government to look into the need to take offensive action against robberies and kidnap for ransom cases in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone).
Its Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said the time has come for Malaysia to stop taking a defensive attitude as these criminal activities had clearly affected the tourism sector as well as the security of locals and foreign workers who came to Malaysia to find a living.
"They (foreign workers) came to work in Malaysia and they also do not want to be kidnapped.
“It will not work if we keep playing defensive, I think it is time for us to go on the offensive,” he said.
He was speaking to reporters at a Parti Warisan Sabah membership form handover ceremony for new members in Kalabakan division here on Saturday.
Shafie also proposed government-to-government cooperation involving Indonesia and Philippines over the matter.
In this regard, he would be asking security forces to step up its operation in Sabah.
"I will be having a meeting with the security division on Monday and I want operations to be improved,” he said.
On Dec 5, four armed men in a speed boat attempted to rob a trawler, Magtrans II in the waters of Pegasus Reef in Kinabatangan.
The suspects fired two shots randomly at the trawler which hit Magtran’s skipper on the left thigh.
Apart from that, a fishing boat owner also reported four of his workers, comprising a skipper and three fishermen were missing from the same waters on the same day. -- BERNAMA