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IN THE quiet dawns along Sabah’s east coast, the sea glistens with a deceptive calm. Beneath its surface lies a story that has shaped generations – a story of movement, survival, and the invisible lines drawn by modern states. 

For the Bajau Laut, Suluk, and Tausug communities, these waters were once a lifeline. Today, they are a boundary – guarded, contested, and fraught with tension.

The Eastern Sabah Safety Zone, or ESSZone, is no stranger to this reality. Established in 2013 following the Lahad Datu incursion, ESSZone was Malaysia’s answer to a growing threat: transnational crime, militant infiltration, and porous maritime borders.

Stretching across ten coastal districts, ESSZone is more than a security perimeter – it is a symbol of Sabah’s vulnerability and resilience.

But as ESSZone marks over a decade of existence, one must ask: has it truly addressed the deeper currents that shape Sabah’s eastern frontier?

At the heart of this question lies the issue of irregular migration. Since the 1970s, Sabah has been a refuge for thousands fleeing conflict in the southern Philippines.

The Mindanao insurgency, economic disparity, and historical kinship ties have driven waves of undocumented arrivals. Many came with little more than hope. Decades later, their children and grandchildren remain stateless – unrecognized by either Malaysia or the Philippines.

ESSZone was never designed to solve statelessness. Its mandate is clear: protect Sabah’s borders, deter criminal activity, and ensure national security. And in many ways, it has succeeded. But while ESSZone guards the coastline, it cannot patrol the complexities of identity, legality, and belonging.

Family beyond Borders

In towns like Semporna, Kunak, and Lahad Datu, undocumented communities are not hidden – they are part of everyday life. Many children born in Sabah to Filipino parents grow up without birth certificates, unable to attend school or receive proper healthcare.

For the Bajau Laut, once proud nomads of the sea, life has shifted to stilted homes along the coast. 

Their boats, once symbols of freedom and identity, now sit idle as they navigate a world that neither fully sees nor recognizes them. They are no longer drifting across the ocean – but their lives remain caught in uncertainty. 

“Traditional kinship ties and historical movement patterns complicate the enforcement of modern borders,” said a regional migration expert. “These communities don’t see the sea as a barrier, but as a bridge.”

This is where the conversation must shift. Security, while essential, cannot be the only lens through which we view Sabah’s eastern frontier. The human dimension – the stories of displacement, marginalization, and resilience – must be part of the narrative.

Malaysia’s sovereignty is non-negotiable. But so is its responsibility to uphold humanitarian principles. A rigid enforcement approach risks alienating communities and undermining regional goodwill.

The Philippines, too, must step up – nt only in advocating for its citizens abroad but in creating pathways for documentation and repatriation.

Security vs. Humanity

ESSZone’s longevity offers a unique opportunity. After more than a decade, it is time to evolve from a reactive security buffer to a proactive regional platform. Imagine ESSZone not just as a line of defence, but as a corridor of cooperation – where security meets diplomacy, and enforcement meets empathy.

This means integrating humanitarian strategies into ESSZone’s framework. Mobile documentation units, cross-border birth registration initiatives, and community engagement programs could transform the zone from a guarded perimeter into a space of inclusion.

Stateless children should not be collateral damage in a geopolitical standoff.

The Trilateral Cooperative Arrangement (TCA), launched in 2017 by Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia, has led to joint patrols and intelligence sharing in the Sulu–Sulawesi Seas.

Piracy and militant activity have declined. But the deeper humanitarian issues – statelessness, documentation, and the rights of children – remain largely unaddressed.

Expanding the TCA’s scope to include humanitarian cooperation – perhaps through a trilateral task force on statelessness – could be the next frontier.

Coordinated action has proven effective in curbing crime; now it must be applied to protecting lives. Of course, this shift will require political will, public support, and sustained funding.

But the cost of inaction is far greater. Statelessness breeds marginalization, and marginalization breeds instability. By investing in inclusive policies, Malaysia can strengthen its national security while upholding its international reputation as a responsible regional leader.

Charting a New Course for ESSZone

Of course, challenges remain. Funding, political will, and public perception are formidable barriers. But Sabah has always been a place of convergence – of cultures, histories, and destinies. It deserves solutions that reflect that complexity.

After more than a decade of guarding Sabah’s eastern coastline, the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone) stands at a crossroads. Its original mission – to shield the region from transnational threats like piracy, militant incursions, and smuggling – has largely succeeded.

But the challenges facing Sabah today are no longer just about border breaches.

They are about people: stateless children, undocumented families, and communities caught in the crossfire of geopolitics and history.

ESSZone must now evolve from a reactive security buffer into a proactive platform for regional resilience.

This means expanding its scope beyond surveillance and enforcement to include humanitarian engagement. Imagine ESSZone not just as a line of defense, but as a corridor of cooperation—where security operations are paired with mobile documentation units, birth registration drives, and community outreach programs.

Such initiatives could help identify and support stateless individuals, especially children who have lived their entire lives in Sabah yet remain invisible to the system.

Beyond Borders: A Future of Belonging

The road ahead is not easy. But it is necessary. Because the true measure of security is not just in patrol boats and command centers – it is in the dignity we afford to those who live within our borders, regardless of their paperwork.

The next chapter must be about protecting the dignity of those who live within them. Security and humanity are not opposing forces – they are complementary pillars of a peaceful, prosperous future.

Sabah’s eastern frontier is more than a line on a map. It is a living, breathing space where history, policy, and humanity intersect. Let ESSZone be not just a shield, but a bridge.

Between nations. Between communities. And between the past we inherited and the future we choose to build.