Soldiers to be stationed on Sabah islands, says
Najib
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 14 (Bernama)
-- Soldiers will be stationed on islands in Sabah waters in addition to existing
placements on strategically located islands, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun
Razak.
The move came in the light of the Cabinet's decision yesterday to view the two abduction
incidents on islands in Sabah waters as an intrusion into Malaysia's sovereign territory.
Previously, such incidents would have been considered a criminal act, he told reporters
after opening an Armed Forces Staff College course here Thursday.
Najib said he had discussed the measure with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah
Ahmad Badawi, who is also the Home Minister, and that Abdullah has agreed to it.
He said Armed Forces chief Jen Tan Sri Zahidi Zainuddin will meet Inspector General of
Police Tan Sri Norian Mai to discuss the security cooperation mechanism between the two
forces.
"This is to raise the security level in Sabah waters," he said.
Three Malaysians were abducted from a dive resort on Pandanan island off Semporna on
Sunday by an armed group and taken to Jolo island in southern Philippines, the second such
incident in Sabah waters after 21 people (nine of them Malaysians) were kidnapped from
Sipadan island onApril 23.
Asked why troops were not stationed on Sabah islands following the Sipadan island
incident, Najib said the policy then was to station troops only on strategic islands.
The General Operations Force (GOF) of the police has a post on Mataking island which is
situated some 5km away from Pandanan island.
Najib said overall security on islands, other than the strategic islands, is the concern
of the police and that the Armed Forces will now increase its role in line with the
Cabinet decision.
He said the Pandanan island incident showed the importance of having joint patrols between
the Malaysian and Philippine navies.
He also urged hotel operators on Sabah islands to cooperate with security forces in
maintaining a "total defence" concept.
Director of Internal Security and Public Order Datuk Abdul Hamid Mustapha, when contacted,
said the location of the three abducted Malaysians in Jolo island has yet to be
ascertained.
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