Sabah’s sea curfew zone to be downsized in phases starting with Tawau, says IGP

Posted to The Star (May 16, 2023): Sabah’s sea curfew zone to be downsized in phases starting with Tawau, says IGP (By DURIE RAINER FONG)

Acryl Sani says the curfew will likely be renamed Kawasan Kawalan Pergerakan Terhad, or Restricted Movement Control Area.

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s east coast dusk-to-dawn sea curfew enforced since 2014 is set to be downsized amid reducing cross-border kidnap threats, especially from the weakened Abu Sayyaf Group.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said the police were also looking to change the name of the exercise, known as the perintah berkurung or curfew, into the Kawasan Kawalan Pergerakan Terhad (Restricted Movement Control Area).

Presently, the curfew covers areas up to three nautical miles off Sandakan, Beluran, Kinabatangan, Lahad Datu, Kunak, Semporna and Tawau.

Under the curfew, residents in areas covered by the rule are required to stay at home from 6pm to 6am while outsiders are not allowed to enter the curfew zones.

Following an operational meeting with the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) on Monday (May 15), the agency tasked with overseeing safety in the state’s east coast, Acryl Sani said the police will assess from time to time the type of controls to be implemented in the said areas.

He also said that, for a start, the police have proposed for Tawau waters to be excluded from the exercise, adding he hoped this would be implemented soon.

“We will carry out studies and recommend to the government which waters need to be maintained in the Restricted Movement Control Area and which areas could be excluded,” he told reporters on Tuesday (May 16).

“We will do this in phases if we are convinced the threats of kidnap-for-ransom (KFR) do not exist anymore,” he added.

Acryl Sani was speaking after accepting a mock key for the handover of the Inanam Police Force Housing project presented by Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Ruji Ubi here.

Towards this end, Acryl Sani also said that it was not the time to completely end the curfew despite a lull in cross-border kidnappings in the past three years.

“This doesn’t mean such incidents won’t happen again.

“I believe the reason why they have not taken place was because of our actions in tightening the security and improvement in our alertness level.

“Those are the factors for no KFR incidents occurring but at the same time we cannot be lax,” he said.

Acryl Sani said the waters off Sandakan, Lahad Datu and Semporna were still considered high risk areas due to their close location to neighbouring countries, adding that curfews would likely be maintained in these waters.

He also added that the police would still conduct patrols and have continued monitoring all areas in Sabah's east coast, including those not in the Restricted Movement Control Area.

The curfew, enforced under Section 31(4) of the Police Act 1967, was first implemented on July 16, 2014.

The curfew was enforced following a spate of kidnappings that also saw the beheading of Sarawakian Bernard Then and the killing of several others, including a policeman and tourists.

The Star reported last April that the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group, however, was no longer capable of carrying out cross-border kidnappings in Sabah waters.

According to a regional source, this was because they are no longer organised and do not have foot soldiers familiar with Sabah’s east coast areas.

Besides that, they were also unable to keep their victims hostage in their hideouts in Jolo as the Philippines military continues to strike at their bases, causing them to be constantly on the run.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2023/05/16/sabahs-sea-curfew-zone-to-be-downsized-in-phases-starting-with-tawau-says-igp