KOTA KINABALU: Federal - Sabah strategic security cooperation is essential towards ensuring Sabah's economic development plans are successfully implemented.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said as part of the Brunei Darussalam - Indonesia - Malaysia - Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), Sabah's strategic location with its east coast serves as a new economic growth hub due to its proximity to other EAGA regions.
Hajiji said Indonesia's new capital, Nusantara in East Kalimantan, will also enhance Sabah's merit and prominence.
"These positive developments should be seized as opportunities, given that the influx of people and enterprises to Borneo will catalyse the state's economic growth.
"The government believes that both domestic and international investors can explore this sub-region with a market of over 70 million consumers, enabling growth," he said in a statement after the 1/2024 Joint ESSZone Committee Meeting at Menara Kinabalu today.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail co-chaired the meeting.
Also present were State Secretary Datuk Seri Safar Untong, Home Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Ruji Ubi, and State Attorney-General Datuk Brenndon Soh, among others.
Hajiji said despite Sabah's vast maritime area significantly contributing to Malaysia's economic prosperity as a maritime region, Sabah constantly faces security threats and cross-border criminal activities.
"Therefore, coordinated efforts between the state government and Home Ministry through all its agencies, such as the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom), will continue to address these issues in Sabah and Malaysia through proactive and strategic measures to protect sovereignty and prevent future security threats," he said.
"In line with the empowerment of the Sabah Maju Jaya direction, I strongly support initiatives to improve infrastructure, assets, human resources, and the needs of security, enforcement, and defence agencies to ensure the highest level of operational capability and readiness."