» »Unlabelled » PM calls for tighter enforcement of security in ESSCom BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Sabah - New 2 Borneo

06:30:00

PM calls for tighter enforcement of security in ESSCom BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Sabah - New 2 Borneo

PM calls for tighter enforcement of security in ESSCom

Posted: 08 May 2014 10:12 AM PDT

TAIPING: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak yesterday spoke of the need for tighter enforcement of security in the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) and the provision of a monitored passage for entry and exit in the waters off Sabah.

He said people using the passage would have to be required to pass through a checkpoint.

"Those entering or leaving outside the passage will be subjected to action from the authorities," he told reporters after opening the Taiping Umno building here.

Najib was asked to comment on the abduction of a Chinese national manager of a cage fish breeding company in Pulau Baik off Lahad Datu last Tuesday.

He said tighter control would have to be enforced in all areas, including the 11 hotels as well as the places where Chinese nationals ran their enterprises.

Expressing regret over the abduction, Najib said the kidnappers went for Chinese nationals because of the commercial value in terms of ransom.

"Their motive is to secure a value. If they get victims with commercial value, they can demand a huge ransom. It is for this reason that they are targeting Chinese nationals or tourists," he said.

Tuesday's abduction was carried out by five men, two of them in military fatigues and two of them armed with M16 rifles.

Their victim was Yang Zai Lin, 34, of Guangzhao, a manager for three years with the fish farming company Wonderful Terrace Sdn Bhd owned by a Chinese national from Hongkong that has been operating there since 2006. — Bernama

Print Friendly

Enforcement of security measures prime focus in ESSZone — Ahmad Zahid

Posted: 08 May 2014 10:12 AM PDT

KOTA KINABALU: Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yesterday said the ministry and Sabah government's main focus was on enforcement of all the security elements that had been agreed upon for the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone).

He said the security elements included nine measures that were announced by Chief Minister and State Security Committee chairman Datuk Seri Musa Aman and five additional measures announced in Lahad Datu on Wednesday.

"The federal cabinet views seriously the recent (kidnapping) incident that occurred in Pulau Baik, Lahad Datu.

"Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has instructed me and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim to assist the Sabah chief minister, the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) and the security forces in Sabah to tighten security measures in the ESSZone to prevent it from being infiltrated."

Ahmad Zahid said this after a meeting with Musa at the chief minister's official residence in Sri Gaya, here, where they also discussed the security issue and the kidnapping incidents.

Also participating in the discussion were Shahidan, Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, National Security Council secretary Datuk Mohamed Tajudeen Wahab, Sabah police commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib and ESSCom director-general Mohammad Mentek.

Ahmad Zahid said in implementing and enforcing the security measures, his ministry and the state government would apply the Police Act 1967, Public Order (Preservation) Act 1958 (Revised 1983) and Preservation of Public Security Ordinance 1962. — Bernama

Print Friendly

‘Disappearance of two Germans near Palawan has no link to Sabah’

Posted: 08 May 2014 10:12 AM PDT

KOTA KINABALU: The reported abduction last month of two German nationals who were sailing across the waters of Mindanao, near Palawan in Southern Phillipines, has no link to Sabah.

The Manila Times reported that Dr Stefan Viktor Okonek, 72, and his companion, Henrite Dielen, 42, went missing from their yacht on April 25 near Palawan, close to Kudat in the north of Sabah.

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib said the incident occurred outside Sabah's territorial waters.

"The disappearance of the German nationals has no link to Sabah," he told reporters after meeting Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman at Sri Gaya here yesterday.

It is learnt the Germans who are long-time residents of Palawan, were taken to Jolo Island by the Abu Sayyaf extremist group. — Bernama

Print Friendly
We encourage commenting on our stories to give readers a chance to express their opinions; please refrain from vulgar language, insidious, seditious or slanderous remarks. While the comments here reflect the views of the readers, they are not necessarily that of Borneo Post Online. Borneo Post Online reserves the right not to publish or to remove comments that are offensive or volatile. Please read the Commenting Rules.

Two fake firearms found at skirmish area – commando

Posted: 08 May 2014 09:05 AM PDT

by Suraini Andokong. Posted on May 9, 2014, Friday

KOTA KINABALU: A platoon commando of the General Operation Force (GOF) told the terrorism trial yesterday that he found two fake firearms at a skirmish area at Kampung Tanjung Batu in Lahad Datu.

Assistant Superintendent Mursalim Mohd Salleh, 44, was testifying before High Court Justice Stephen Chung that the two so-called firearms were a replica of a long rifle and a gun, which were made of plastic.

"From my understanding, I called the long rifle which is silver in colour, as replica because it is not a real rifle," he responded to a question during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar.

He further testified at the continuation of the identification and tendering of weapons seized at Tanjung Batu when they were carrying out Clearing Operation there, that the plastic pistol which was made of plastic was in darker colour and was written on it 'Made in China'.

To another question by Mohd Dusuki, the 27th witness said that he was not the one who did the taggings, markings nor signed on the two imitation firearms.

He also identified 14 machetes, four of them were short machetes that had been seized at the same skirmish area.

The witness was giving his oral evidence against 29 accused persons including the nephew of the late self-styled Sulu sultan III, Datu Jamalul Kiram, believed to be the man behind the intrusion in Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu.

The accused persons were alleged to have committed terrorism activities at several places in Lahad Datu, Semporna and Sandakan areas between February 12 and April 10, 2013.

The indictments carry the mandatory death sentence while the rest provide for life imprisonment and a fine, upon conviction.

The trial was held at a hall doubled as an open court at Kepayan prisons here under tight security checks by the prison and police personnel.

The prosecution led by Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, who was assisted by deputy public prosecutors Datuk Abdul Wahab Mohamed, Ishak Mad Yusoff, Mohd Dusuki, Cheng Heng Kher and Anati Kisahi while counsel involved for the accused were Datuk N. Sivananthan, James Tsai, Stella Simon, Teressa Sirri, Zakaria Ahmad Kamarudin Mohd Chinki, Ram Singh, YS Lo, Rowiena Rasid and Abdul Ghani Zelika.

The trial continues today.

Print Friendly

Makings of Harvest Festival Queen

Posted: 08 May 2014 09:03 AM PDT

by Jenne Lajiun. Posted on May 9, 2014, Friday

PUTATAN: The qualities of the Unduk Ngadau that are sought after by judges during the Unduk Ngadau competition (a beauty contest held in conjunction with the Harvest Festival) are beauty, confidence and eloquence.

Expressing his views when met during the registration of contestants for Putatan District Unduk Ngadau at the community hall here yesterday, Martin Buguk, an experienced make-up artist with over 20 years of involvement in the competition and one who is very much sought after during such festivity, said these were his findings

after years of involvement.

"Being tall is definitely a bonus … we are seeing more preference towards taller contestants in the last few years. However, it is not a prerequisite when joining the competition," he said.

"Also an advantage is the contenders' ability to converse in her local dialect," he said.

Martin began involving himself in the Unduk Ngadau competitions since the 1990s.

Four of the contenders he helped in the Unduk Ngadau state-level competition were crowned winners.

They were 1999 state Unduk Ngadau, Kathie Rengos representing Inanam; 2008 state Unduk Ngadau representing Penampang, Leoni Gontuni; 2010 state Unduk Ngadau representing Tanjung Aru, Crystal Huminodun Mojimbun, and 2011 state Unduk Ngadau Botiza Arthur Disimon.

Meanwhile, the Putatan district Kaamatan Festival and Unduk Ngadau competition will be held on May 10 at the Putatan District Council Hall.

Over 30 lasses registered for the selection last night. Out of the total, only 15 would be contending come May 10.

Print Friendly

Sabah Christians continue using Bibles containing ‘Allah’

Posted: 08 May 2014 09:02 AM PDT

KOTA KINABALU: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) assistant secretary general Datuk Herbert T Lagadan said that the Christians and churches in Sabah have no choice but to continue using their Bahasa Malaysia Bibles which contain the word 'Allah' in their worship service and daily religious life.

He said the Christians in Sabah and Sarawak are fortunate since both state governments have given freedom to Christians to freely use the word 'Allah' in the church.

Herbert was of the opinion that it would be heartening to see all the Christian denominations in Sabah pool their resources to start their own printing of the Bibles in Bahasa Malaysia as per the 10-Point Resolution agreed by the government earlier.

"No one has the sole right to tamper with one's freedom when it comes to the tenet of God's Worship otherwise our nation will come under God's wrath and calamities," he said when commenting on the High Court decision on Monday to dismiss an application by Sidang Injil Borneo (SIB) church and its Sabah president Reverend Datuk Jerry Dusing for leave for a judicial review over the ban on religious books containing the word 'Allah' by the authorities.

Justice Zaleha Yusof ruled that she was bound by the Court of Appeal judgment dated Oct 14 last year which held that the word 'Allah' was not an integral part of the faith and practices of Christianity.

In their application for leave on Dec 10, 2007, SIB and Rev Jerry named the minister and the Government as respondents.

They filed the application after their religious publications, imported from Indonesia, were detained by the Customs authorities at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal in Sepang in August 2007.

Former United Pasokmomogum Kadazandusun Murut Organisations (Upko) president Tan Sri Bernard Dompok said Sabah and Sarawak will continue using "Allah" in its churches despite SIB losing its bid to challenge the ban on the word in its publications.

"This is a matter of language. If we are not allowed to use Malay, then maybe we need a new national language," he said.

Dompok also said that it should be considered an honour that Malay is being used in churches in east Malaysia.

"Sabah and Sarawak will continue to use the word 'Allah' in churches as it has always been used, even before Malaysia was formed," he added.

Angkatan Perubahan Sabah (PBS) president Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Bumburing, however, is disappointed with the High Court's judgement.

"I have no intention to challenge the decision of the court except to say that what is happening to the other religious group, especially the Christian group as a whole, in the country is tantamount to a form of religious persecution in a subtle way," the Tamparuli assemblyman said.

According to him, the religious practices and doctrine of a particular denomination should only be defined by the individual religious body itself and that anyone from outside of its own authority body trying to define what construed an 'integral part of faith and practices' of that particular body or of other religion is against the Federal Constitution and is also against the fundamental rights of every citizen to practise what their churches teach, not what are defined by others.

"The Malaysia Agreement of 1963 was supposed to ensure that Sabah's rights are protected and its sovereignty as an independent State within the Federation of Malaysia is guaranteed. The indigenous people of Sabah have hoped for a prosperous Sabah within Malaysia and have looked forward to living in a peaceful country enjoying the fruits of its own land. The Federal Government can help keep it that way by giving Sabahans what rightfully belongs to them, he said.

Print Friendly