One cop dead, another kidnapped after shootout on Pulau Mabul, say reports

From the Malaysia Insider posted to MSN News (Jul 13): One cop dead, another kidnapped after shootout on Pulau Mabul, say reports

Gunmen in army fatigues reportedly killed one policeman and may have kidnapped another following a shootout on Pulau Mabul off Semporna, Sabah, according to news reports.

The attack came as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak arrived in Sabah for a state visit earlier in the day.

Reports said eight gunmen landed on the island around 11.30pm last night, triggering off a shootout with the police just before midnight.

Divers staying in resorts on the island said they heard gunshots.

This latest intrusion comes on the day Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced several additional measures would be implemented to further strengthen the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) in addition to the recent administrative restructuring.

This, he had said, would include deploying Malaysia International Shipping Corporation Berhad’s (MISC) container freighter, the MT Bunga Mas Lima, to Sabah, where it will serve as “mother ship” for maritime assets and personnel near the Philippines border.

Reports quoting the prime minister stated that the vessel would be a forward operational base for intercepting cross-border criminals trying to flee to a neighbouring country after committing crime in the state.

Additionally, Najib added, two Petronas platforms were currently being modified and would be set up by year-end as the last line of defence between the Lahad Datu and Semporna waters.

The platforms will be equipped with modern radar that would enable the security forces to detect movements, day or night, in the area, he explained.

On July 8, Najib had said Esscom would be split into two main ‎components: the Security and Defence Management component, and the Enforcement and Public Action component.

Esscom's director of security and public order, Commissioner of Police Datuk Abd Rashid Harun would be appointed Esscom commander starting July 15, and would be in charge of the Security and Defence Management component.

Esscom covers 1,400km of the east coast of Sabah from Kudat to Tawau.
It was established in March 2013 by Najib following the Lahad Datu incursion by armed Sulu militants last year.

Its purpose is to strengthen maritime security in the eastern part of the state and to prevent terrorist activity in the waters off Sabah.

However, since its formation it has failed to stop a series of kidnappings on the islands off the coast of Sabah, drawing criticism from the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) party and opposition Pakatan Rakyat.

Three weeks ago, a fish farm operator in Kampung Air Sapang in Sabah's east coast town of Kunak was kidnapped by armed men believed to be Suluks.

In May, Chinese national Yang Zai Lin, 34, was abducted by five gunmen from a fish farm in Pulau Baik.

Yang was the manager of the fish farm, which was owned by Wonderful Terrace Sdn Bhd, a Hong Kong-based company.

Despite engaging the police special action unit in a shootout, the gunmen managed to evade authorities and fled towards southern Philippines.

In another incident last March, 29-year-old Gao Hua Yun from Shanghai and 40-year-old Marcy Dayawan @ Mimi from the Philippines were abducted from the Singamata Reef Resort on Semporna island.

Both were freed after a ransom was allegedly paid to the kidnappers, although Najib said no ransom had been paid.

A number of BN and PR lawmakers have denounced Esscom as a waste of public funds following the string of security breaches that have happened since its establishment.

Gelang Patah MP Lim Kit Siang said Esscom was a "white elephant", while Kalabakan MP Datuk Seri Abdul Ghapur Salleh said Sabahans were fed-up and angry with the government's promises to boost Esscom.

http://news.malaysia.msn.com/tmi/one-cop-dead-another-kidnapped-after-shootout-on-pulau-mabul-say-reports