KOTA KINABALU: THE two-week curfew in six east coast districts in Sabah has been extended indefinitely, but stakeholders are not complaining.
Imposed following a series of kidnappings and intrusion threats by armed groups, the curfew has allowed for better supervision of boat movements at sea within the six districts under the Eastern Sabah Safety Zone.
Eastern Sabah Security Command commander Datuk Abdul Rashid Harun said the 6pm to 6am curfew, which started on July 19, was extended until a date that would be announced soon.
In the last two weeks, 46 people were held and 11 boats seized within the 224,592 sq km curfew area announced by Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman.
The curfew covers Tawau, Sandakan, Lahad Datu, Kinabatangan, Semporna and Kunak.
Semporna-based boatman Abdul Karim Ali said people had adjusted to the curfew times and there were few movements at sea the last two weeks.
“It feels different, especially at night, but we are getting used to it,” he said, adding that villagers,
especially fishermen and transporters, had also begun changing their schedules to fit the curfew time.
“The extension by the authorities will not matter much because what is important here is to ensure the sea is safe from the intruders.”
Kunak assemblyman Datuk Nilwan Kabang said the authorities imposed the curfew for the safety and security of the people.
“It has been 14 days and maybe more days will be added but compare that with 365 days in a year, I am sure we can find time to compensate the losses, if any.
“If we look at the bigger picture, the move was necessary to steady some nerves and strengthen our defence against the culprits.”
Nilwan said the public should make an effort to understand the actions taken by the government.
He said the issuance of special permits for fishing boats indicated that the authorities too understood the needs of the fishing community.
Three fishing permits were issued in Tawau and 37 in Sandakan.
A tour operator in Sandakan said for over six months they have released their transport boats only during the day.
“Day travel at sea is much safer and this was what the authorities advised us during a dialogue we had some time ago with Esscom,” said the tour operator, who declined to be named.
The curfew was imposed under the Police Act 1967 to address a public order or internal security situation by the Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
There were five kidnappings between November last year and July this year involving six victims. Last month, a group of heavily armed men killed a policeman and took his partner hostage from a resort off Semporna.