Sabah alarmed by series of kidnappings
Published on: Thursday, December 18, 2014
KOTA KINABALU: The year 2014 was marred by a series of kidnappings by southern Philippine gunmen in the east coast of Sabah. Rather than stake a claim over the land as in last year's intrusion of Kampung Tanduo in Lahad Datu, the kidnappers sought ransom. Four kidnappings occurred in 2014, with the fate of two victims still unknown, but police believe they are still alive and are being moved frequently to different locations in the neighbouring country.
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One of the victims, marine police constable Zakia Aleip, 26 has yet to be released by his captors following his abduction from the Mabul Water Bungalows Resort on Pulau Mabul in Semporna following an ambush on July 12 during which his colleague, Corporal Ab Rajah Jamuan, 32, was killed. It is learnt that Zakia's captors are demanding RM10 million for his release. About a month before Zakia's abduction, Malaysian fish breeder Chan Sai Chuin, 32, was taken from his fish farm in Kampung Sapang, Kunak. He was released on Dec 9. A Chinese national, Gao Hua Yuan, 29, and a Philippine resort worker, Marcy Dayawan, 40, who were kidnapped from the Singamata Adventures and Reef Resort, about two nautical miles from Semporna town, on April 2, were released on May 30, while another Chinese national, Yang Zailin, 34, a fish farm manager who was snatched from Pulau Baik in Lahad Datu on May 6, was rescued on July 10.
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In an effort to curb cross-border crimes in the east coast, new Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman, who succeeded Datuk Hamza Taib on June 30, declared a night curfew beginning July 19 in the waters off six kidnap-prone districts – Sandakan, Kinabatangan, Lahad Datu, Semporna, Kunak and Tawau. The western part of Sabah was also alarmed by possible Sulu involvement in three armed robberies at an electrical goods outlet in Penampang on Oct 6, a supermarket in Kota Kinabalu on Oct 9 and a goldsmith shop in Tuaran on Oct 16.
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On Oct 31, Jalaluddin told a media conference that two men, believed to be involved in the armed robberies, had been shot dead after a shootout occurred between the men and police at Penampang Baru, near here. The men, aged 50 and 45, were Filipinos whom the police had been hunting, and they were also on the list of wanted individuals of the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom). In a bid to further strengthen security in the east coast, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced the restructuring of Esscom on July 8. It involved the setting up of two major components – security and defence management as well as enforcement and public action, and Esscom Security and Public Order Division director DCP Datuk Abd Rashid Harun was made Esscom commander, with the post of Director-General renamed, effective July 15. Datuk Mohammad Mentek, who served as the Director-General when Esscom was established on April 1 last year, assumed the role of Human Resource Management Division secretary at the Ministry of Education on Oct 1. The trial of the alleged Sulu gunmen who intruded into Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu, in February last year opened on Jan 6 at the High Court, which is sitting at the Sabah Prisons Department here. Twenty-seven Filipinos and three local residents are facing one to multiple charges of being members of a terrorist group; waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong; recruiting members for a terrorist group or wilfully harbouring individuals they knew to be members of a terrorist group. The trial, before Justice Stephen Chung, which went on for 100 days, adjourned on Dec 9 with 58 witnesses having testified so far and 74 more days have been fixed for the hearing between Jan 12 and June 26 next year. The much-anticipated report by the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on illegal immigrants in Sabah was released on Dec 3 with some recommendations already agreed upon by the Government, such as the establishment of Esscom to beef up security while curbing the illegal entry of foreigners via the east coast of the State. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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