PUTRAJAYA will keep the six-year-old Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) but will put it through a restructuring programme to cut costs, said sources.

Sources told The Malaysian Insight the government had initially wanted to scrap Esscom but changed its mind after Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador visited the command centre in Sabah recently and came up with suggestions on how to improve operations.

“Hamid felt a new strategy was needed and that it could be achieved by restructuring Esscom to further beef up security in the east coast region of the state,” said a source.

The command was established to boost security in 1,400km of Sabah’s east coast, from Kudat to Tawau, after the 2013 Lahad Datu incursion. It was also to stop kidnappings and piracy in the region.

The idea to disband the command had come about due to the hefty costs to manage the area. There was also scepticism over its efficacy following incidents of kidnapping and intrusion last year, sources said.

A source said there was also lack of clarity on the chain of command due to the multiple security agencies involved in the force.

Besides the police, the army and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) are also operating there.

“The plan to disband Esscom cropped up after the cost to fly police officers from the peninsula to and from Sabah, became too much to bear.

“However after taking into account the importance of beefing up security on the east coast of Sabah, Hamid and other agencies had unanimously decided to restructure and procure more equipment to increase the efficiency of officers in Esscom,” said the source.

Hamid told The Malaysian Insight that disbanding Esscom was not part of his plans after assuming his role as IGP.

“We will update our strategy to face potential threats. Esscom will be restructured to improve law and order,” he said, adding that the process is ongoing.

Esscom was established in 2013 by then prime minister Najib Razak after a group of militants of the Royal Sulu Force (RSF) from the Southern Philippines set up base in Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu in Sabah.

The group laid claims on a part of Sabah as belonging to the Sulu Sultanate. The militant group launched an attack which claimed the lives of two security officers.

Ten more officers lost their lives in another attack in Kampung Simunul, Semporna.

Ops Daulat was launched on March 5, 2013 to restore law and order as well as to ensure the safety of the public in the conflict zone.

Two days later, the government formed a Special Security Area.

The area located in Lahad Datu became the command centre which housed temporary cabins serving as a base for security forces to weed out the remaining Sulu militants following the incursion.

Five battalions comprising police and military forces were stationed at the base.

On March 27, 2013, 10 districts were clustered under the Eastern Sabah Safety Zone (ESSZONE) after the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong consented to the formation of the security zone under the Preservation of the Public Safety Regulations 2013.

The security zone covered an area of 1733.7 kilometres from Kudat to Tawau. The 10 districts which fell under the zone are Kudat, Kota Marudu, Pitas, Beluran, Sandakan, Kinabatangan, Lahad Datu, Kunak, Semporna and Tawau.

Esscom was formed on April 1, 2013.

Curfew was also imposed in the area to ensure that it is safe from potential threats from foreign forces. The curfew continues till today, extended periodically.

In addition to ensuring safety in the region and preventing such episodes from recurring, Esscom is also instrumental in restoring investors’ confidence in the area, after investments took a hit following the Lahad Datu military stand off.

Esscom Commander Hazani Ghazali said the force comprises of 68 personnel from the Malaysian Army, 67 police officers, 20 MMEA officers and 33 civil servants.

According to him, the restructuring exercise will entail operations, inter agency cooperation and new recruitment.

He said the necessity of curfew in the region will also be reviewed from time to time.

Apart from border patrol, security forces have placed rabbit holes which are used for cross-border crimes such as smuggling and bringing in undocumented immigrants during the festive season.

Checks are conducted on every boat including merchant ships involved in cross-border barter trading with the Philippines and Indonesia.

This, he said, was to ensure that such vessels are not used to transport illegal immigrants during the festive season.

“Every sea transport will be examined to ensure that there is no elements of cross-border crime. 

“On top of ensuring that there are no illegal immigrants or illicit items smuggled into the country, it is also important to ensure that there are no elements of terrorism or kidnappings.” – June 2, 2019.