Credibility of ESSCOM is questioned by DAP on Singamatah inciden

By Admin

Sunday April  06.2014

Media Statement by MP Kota Kinabalu Jimmy Wong Sze Phin and MP Sandakan Stephen Wong Tien Fatt in Kuala Lumpur on 3 April  2014:

Following the breaking and shocking news that one Chinese tourist and one Philippines resort staff were kidnapped by armed men in Singamata Reef Resort near Semporna, Sabah today, the members of parliament of DAP Sabah now strongly question the security and safety concern in Sabah.

It is reported that police is yet to provide a full report on this incident. However, ESSCOM has confirmed the incident. DAP Sabah urges the relevant authorities to take immediate action to start the rescue operation.

The DAP MP for Kota Kinabalu Jimmy Wong and MP for Sandakan jointly hold the press conference in parliament to speak on the issue today.

We are shocked to learn that the establishment of ESSCOM (Eastern Sabah Security Command Area), with allocated million of ringgit, has again failed to exercise its function to provide safety in Sabah, particularly in east coast of Sabah.

It is very disgrace for the nation, and as a Sabahan, to tell the world that we are totally vulnerable in border protection. We believe that this incident is giving serious and deadly impact to Sabah and Malaysia tourism.

It is ironic that ESSCOM officially "celebrate" its first anniversary on 1 Apr this year. However, we felt sadly to learn that ESSCOM is not working despites it has been established for a year.

According to news report, initially RM200 million has been allocated for ESSCOM and it was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Subsequently it receives RM75 million in 2014 budget and RM11 million has been allocated for upgrade the infrastructure at 62 checkpoints.

Despites all these, why are the checkpoints not working at all? Why the armed men can so easily enter the border of Sabah and kidnap the hostages, then easily leave the place without notice? Why Malaysian security units did not noticed the offensive approach of these armed men at all?

These are crucial questions to be asked. If the sovereignty of Sabah was easily been challenged and offended despite ESSCOM is existing, it means ESSCOM and the entire security has failed.

ESSCOM has been established after Sulu incursion at Lahad Datu last year, however, it was reported that in November last year, a tourist from Taiwan was kidnapped and her husband was shot dead at Pom Pom island near Semporna.

We cannot accept that similar kidnap incident could be happened within short time and it shows the credibility of ESSCOM was seriously questionable.

Therefore, we urge the director of ESSCOM Datuk Mohammad Mentek should openly apology and step down to claim responsibility for the failure of ESSCOM.

We believed that there is possibility the so-called armed men might be illegal immigrants who has been allowed to stay in Sabah for decades. Therefore we can't notice their existence.

We urged the RCI report to investigate illegal immigrants problem in Sabah could be immediately released and take stern action to resolve the problem.

The possibility of involvement of illegal immigrants in this case must be considered by the authorities.

Finally, we hope Malaysian security units and personnels could take action immediately and urge our Defense Minister Datuk Hishammudin can come to Sabah to monitor and follow up the rescue operation.

We pray for the hostages safety. We wish that the rescue operation would success and hostages come home safely.