The area will cover five districts in the state, with Lahad Datu as its central command.
UPDATED
LAHAD DATU: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak today announced the establishment of a Special Security Area in Sabah to safeguard the sovereignty and security of the state’s east coast.
He said the Sabah Special Security Area encompassed the districts of Kudat, Tawau, Kunak, Sandakan and Lahad Datu.
“This Special Security Area will have Lahad Datu as its central command and several temporary cabins will be placed there so that it can begin functioning immediately,” he told news conference after checking on and attending a briefing on the ongoing “Ops Daulat” operation against armed intruders, here.
In 1972, the government had set up the Rajang Area Security Command (Rascom) in neighbouring Sarawak to thwart the threat from communist terrorists in the state.
The Rascom area, covering Sibu, Kanowit, Oya, Dalat, Bintagor, Sarikei, Julau, Song and Kapit, was declared a special security area by the then prime minister, Tun Abdul Razak.
The prime minister said the proposal to establish the Special Security Area was agreed to by the Cabinet at its meeting yesterday.
Najib said the move to have the Special Security Area was made to boost the confidence of the people in Sabah, that the government would go to any length to maintain peace and safeguard the country’s sovereignty.
He also said that the police and military strength in Sabah would be augmented by five more battalions to reinforce security.
The breakdown of the five battalions would be determined after discussions between the police and military, he added.
“In principle, the five additional battalions will be stationed in the Special Security Area. This is to give an assurance to the people in eastern Sabah that their security and sovereignty will be defended even after the operation ceases,” he said.
Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Foreign Minister Datuk Anifah Aman, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Jamil Khir Baharom and several other Cabinet ministers were also present at the news conference.
Meanwhile, Najib also said Kuala Lumpur will not consider any request for a ceasefire so long as the armed intruders in Sabah do not lay down arms unconditionally.
He said Philippine President Benigno Aquino III had contacted him for Malaysia’s reaction to the call for a ceasefire by Jamalul Kiram III.
“I informed President Aquino that they need to surrender unconditionally and their weapons have to be handed over to us,” he said.
Photo courtesy of Antarapos.com.
UPDATED
LAHAD DATU: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak today announced the establishment of a Special Security Area in Sabah to safeguard the sovereignty and security of the state’s east coast.He said the Sabah Special Security Area encompassed the districts of Kudat, Tawau, Kunak, Sandakan and Lahad Datu.
“This Special Security Area will have Lahad Datu as its central command and several temporary cabins will be placed there so that it can begin functioning immediately,” he told news conference after checking on and attending a briefing on the ongoing “Ops Daulat” operation against armed intruders, here.
In 1972, the government had set up the Rajang Area Security Command (Rascom) in neighbouring Sarawak to thwart the threat from communist terrorists in the state.
The Rascom area, covering Sibu, Kanowit, Oya, Dalat, Bintagor, Sarikei, Julau, Song and Kapit, was declared a special security area by the then prime minister, Tun Abdul Razak.
The prime minister said the proposal to establish the Special Security Area was agreed to by the Cabinet at its meeting yesterday.
Najib said the move to have the Special Security Area was made to boost the confidence of the people in Sabah, that the government would go to any length to maintain peace and safeguard the country’s sovereignty.
He also said that the police and military strength in Sabah would be augmented by five more battalions to reinforce security.
The breakdown of the five battalions would be determined after discussions between the police and military, he added.
“In principle, the five additional battalions will be stationed in the Special Security Area. This is to give an assurance to the people in eastern Sabah that their security and sovereignty will be defended even after the operation ceases,” he said.
Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Foreign Minister Datuk Anifah Aman, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Jamil Khir Baharom and several other Cabinet ministers were also present at the news conference.
Meanwhile, Najib also said Kuala Lumpur will not consider any request for a ceasefire so long as the armed intruders in Sabah do not lay down arms unconditionally.
He said Philippine President Benigno Aquino III had contacted him for Malaysia’s reaction to the call for a ceasefire by Jamalul Kiram III.
“I informed President Aquino that they need to surrender unconditionally and their weapons have to be handed over to us,” he said.
Photo courtesy of Antarapos.com.
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The Government has given the Sulu invaders two choices: surrender or face the repercussions at the hands of security forces, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said on Saturday.
Najib said he had spoken to Philippines president Benigno Aquino on Friday night regarding the matter.He said the window for negotiations was closed, given the hostile stand taken by the rebels.
He condemned the actions of the Sulu gunmen who might have led the two fallen special force commandos into an ambush before they were gun downed.
“I've told Aquino the Government will not consider any claims by the Sulu gunmen...they only have two options- surrender or face actions by our security forces,” he said.
The Government had no choice but to turn tough.
“They trespassed into our country armed with weapons and they killed two of our police personnel while injuring three others...these are very serious offences.
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