Malaysian PM: To establishment of eastern Sabah safety zone

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak on Monday announced the establishment of the Eastern Sabah Safety Zone (ESSZONE) covering 10 districts to provide the legal basis for the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) effective today. He named the districts as Kudat, Kota Marudu, Pitas, Beluran, Sandakan, Kinabatangan, Lahad Datu, Kunak, Semporna and Tawau. These 10 districts would be administered by an Eastern Sabah Safety Zone Committee, set up under the Preservation of Public Security Regulations 2013, and chaired by the Sabah chief minister, he said. The chief minister, as the chairman, would be assisted by a chief executive officer and members of the committee to be announced later, he said at the parade in conjunction with the 206th Police Day at the Police Training Centre (Pulapol) in Jalan Semarak, here. Najib said ESSZONE would also safeguard the democratic rights and the democratic process pertaining to the people of Sabah as well as strengthen security, public order and prosperity in eastern Sabah, according to (Bernama) news agency. The ESSCOM was established following the Sulu terrorist intrusion in Lahad Datu on Feb 12. The terrorists killed eight policemen and a soldier. One soldier was killed in a road accident. An ongoing government offensive, dubbed Ops Daulat and launched on March 5, has resulted in the deaths of 65 terrorists. "By setting up the ESSZONE committee, the government is adopting a holistic and not a purely military approach to protect eastern Sabah and find a solution to the intrusion issue. Najib also said that the establishment of ESSZONE did not constitute the declaration of an emergency.