THE placement of additional General Operations Force (GOF) teams in Kudat and Keningau is one of the proposals made to strengthen security control in Sabah, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Deputy Home Minister II Jonathan Yasin said the ministry also plans to build control posts at Manalunan and Kalabakan as well as the construction of a forward operating base in Pulau Siamil, Semporna.

“This is in addition to maintaining state security, notably to stop illegal immigrants from encroaching into Sabah and increase investors’ confidence in the (Sabah) east coast so that they will stay put to run their business safely.”

He said this in reply to Bung Moktar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan) on the comprehensive measures taken to prevent encroachment and increase the confidence of residents and investors in the east coast.

In the meantime, Jonathan said the Home Ministry through the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) is taking a comprehensive approach to addressing the encroachment of illegal immigrants by ensuring that security assets are at an optimum level of preparedness while tightening integrated security control under Op Benteng.

The deputy minister said between May 1 last year and October 29 this year, 813 illegal immigrants from the Philippines were detained under Op Benteng in Sabah.

On the security forces operating in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone), Jonathan said the three main elements in ESSCom – Malaysian Armed Forces, Royal Malaysia Police and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency – each have their own integrity units to monitor their designated zones.

He said this in reply to Bung Moktar’s question on efforts to ensure that Sabah’s waters were impregnable to intrusions by illegal immigrants from the Philippines. – Bernama, November 1, 2021.