KOTA KINABALU: Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) will meet Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal to deliberate on the use of pump boats following recent kidnapping and shooting incidents in the east coast's waters.
Its commander Datuk Hazani Ghazali said he would meet with Shafie this Wednesday to discuss on possibility to colour-code pump boats according to district.
This, he said, is one of Esscom's proposals in the move to further monitor movement of boats, particularly within Eastern Sabah Safety Zone (Esszone).
“We will inform (the media) once we have had a discussion with the chief minister,” he said, when contacted, today. He did not elaborate.
On Sept 21, Hazani had said that Esscom welcomed the proposal mooted by the state government to re-register local pump boats.
Esscom also proposed to the use of colour-coded pump boat to represent each district in the state.
This came after Esscom gunned down two suspected members of kidnap-for-ransom group during a shootout near Boheyan island in Kunak waters, on Sept 21.
On Sept 11, two Indonesian fishermen were abducted at in Semporna waters near here.
In both incidents, armed suspects were said to have travelled using pump boats - a mode of transportation often used by local fishermen and cross-border criminals.
The use of pump boats was banned by the previous state government following series of kidnappings and sea robberies.
Shafie, on Sept 21, rubbished claims that cross-border crimes were creeping into Sabah again after the state government announced it will review the ban on pump boats.
He had also given his assurance that the state government was taking necessary measures to protect the country's borders.
Meanwhile, Sabah Umno secretary Datuk Masidi Manjun urged the state government to review its proposal to lift the ban on the use of pump boats.
“The state government should reconsider its proposal to lift the ban on the use of pump boats in the east coast of Sabah.
“The security risks outweigh the benefits,” he said via his Twitter account yesterday.
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Keyword: Esscom, Sabah, Esszone, pump boats