Malaysia to shoot intruders after second kidnap
incident
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 15 (AFP) -
Malaysian authorities, embarrassed by the second kidnapping in five months from its
eastern islands, said Friday that soldiers will open fire on any further seaborne
intruders if they fail to stop.
"We'll shoot those armed
people intruding into our territorial waters and out to create undesirable acts,"
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, deputy prime minister, was quoted by the official Bernama news
agency as saying.
Abdullah said he had discussed
Wednesday's cabinet decision about opening fire with Defence Minister Najib Razak and
Inspector-General of Police Norian Mai.
"If we don't shoot
criminals and intruders armed with M-16s, do you expect us to welcome them?" he said,
when asked whether the tough order could draw international criticism.
The government has come under
fire even from its supporters for lax security at Pandanan island off Sabah, where Abu
Sayyaf rebels from the southern Philippines seized three Malaysians last Sunday.
Less than five months earlier
the Abu Sayyaf abducted nine Malaysians and 12 foreigners from a dive resort on the nearby
island of Sipadan.
In each case the captives were
taken by boat to Jolo island in the nearby southern Philippines.
Abdullah said the first
hostage-taking was hardly over when a second occurred. More could take place if the
government did not act to put a stop to kidnapping.
A senior official close to a
cabinet minister told AFP that security personnel would follow standard operating
procedures before opening fire.
"If they (intruders)
refuse to stop and identify themselves when ordered but try to escape, troops have the
right to open fire," he said. "We have to put a stop to these kidnapping
incidents."
Najib Thursday said Malaysia
would station soldiers on the resort islands off Sabah.
He said the cabinet decided to
treat the abduction and the previous kidnapping in April as "an intrusion into
Malaysia's sovereign territory" rather than a simple crime.
"Our security forces can
shoot any intruders or groups which plan to kidnap our people," he was quoted as
saying by Friday's Utusan Malaysia newspaper.
Apart from a Filipino all the
Sipadan captives have now been freed. But the reported payment of millions of dollars in
ransom led to predictions that the kidnappers would be back.
A security official in Sabah
questioned the tougher security measures.
"We are always reactive in
our actions. The moment our guard is down, they will strike again," he said.
The security official, who
requested anonymity, told AFP the security forces faced three key problems in Sabah --
manpower, finance and equipment.
There are also about 2,000
Filipino illegal immigrants on the islands off eastern Sabah and some are suspected of
assisting the kidnappers, he said.
"We patrol with old boats,
no night goggles and with limited rations. These kidnappers know the seas better then
us," the official added.
He said the government must
sent home all illegal immigrants and mobilise more personnel to guard key entry points.
Malaysia has contacted friends
in the Philippines for help in securing the release of the three Malaysians, Sabah Chief
Minister Osu Sukam said Thursday.
"We have contacted friends
there and they have expressed willingness to help us," he said without giving
details. Unofficial Malaysian envoys used Filipino intermediaries previously.
Philippine President Joseph
Estrada said Friday he was delaying any military action against the rebels because
"whenever possible, the safety of the hostages" was the first consideration.
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