KUALA LUMPUR: Authorities have once again extended the ongoing curfew order at six areas in Sabah, except in Tawau after finding it to be less risky to incursions and cases of kidnapping for ransom (KFR) yesterday.
The Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said based on the proposal made by the police and Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) earlier, the National Security Council and Sabah State Government and Home Ministry in a recent meeting agreed to rebrand and extend the Lockdown to Movement Control Order (MCO) Eastern Sabah Safety Zone for the waters of Beluran, Sandakan, Kinabatangan, Lahad Datu, Kunak, and Semporna.
"Tawau, however has been excluded from the list, because the security control in the waters of Tawau is considered to be low threat and satisfactory," he said in a statement referring to the Lockdown order No 220 which will be expiring tomorrow at 6pm.
Razarudin said the new MCO extension would be effective from tomorrow 6pm onwards at the six districts ( Lahad Datu, Kunak, Beluran, Sandakan, Kinabatangan and Semporna).
The Sabah ESS Zone MCO at these waters in Sabah has been imposed under Subsection 31 (1) of the Police Act 1967 [ACT 344].
"The MCO is still necessary at these districts to ensure the waters at these district and its people remains safe and is not threatened to any sort of invasion or intrusion," Razarudin said.
He added that the security level at all the said areas are well under control and police will continue to take all the necessary measures to combat cross border crimes, kidnapping and smuggling.
The dawn-till-dusk curfew in the ESS Zone was introduced in July 2014, covering the waters of 10 districts and was gradually brought down to the present six districts, following a bloody in 2013 in Lahad Datu.
In Feb 2013, a group of 100 Sulu terrorists from southern Philippines landed on the beach of Kampung Tanduo which led to a bloody battle between them and the Malaysian security forces.