KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, Parti Solidariti Sabah (STAR) Chief called on the Federal government to address infiltration by terror groups into areas as far as the interior such as Tambunan.
Speaking about the recent arrest of 13 terror suspects in Sabah, he asked if it was a sign that the security of the state was under increasing threat?
In a statement issued recently, he stated that to read news on the Inspector General of Police stating that a total of 13 terror suspects have been detained following anti-terror swoops in Semporna and Tambanan was unnerving.
“I understand those detained were either members of Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), Maute or Royal Sulu Force (RSF) terror groups. Thirteen suspects are considerably a significant number caught during just one swoop. Why have so many suddenly infiltrated our borders? Are our borders so porous?”
He said, ESSCOM was set up to especially prevent such incursions by terror groups.
“Illegal immigrants are one thing but terror groups are not something we should be gambling with. We certainly do not want a repeat of Tanduo, which put the security and sovereignty of Sabah under threat.”
He said he also question why so many of this terror suspects were coming into the state and whether it was because they (suspects) heard news that the State government was supporting giving documentation to those of Filipino ancestry.
Such news may have become an incentive for those in the Southern Philippines to come to Sabah by any means he said, adding that it was not only attracting more illegal immigrants but also the dangerous kind.
“As such, we call on the Federal government to put a stop to proposals on giving documentation to overnight immigrant not just of Filipino but other ancestries too. Why are we even considering such a proposal when we know that there are syndicates out there selling dubious Mykads? Wouldn’t this be compounding the problem?”
“We also call on ESSCOM to beef up their security and put a ban on modes of transport that allow illegals including terror groups to easily ply our waters. We are a nation made up of multi-racial and multi-religious communities that live in peace and harmony.”
“We have no objection to living and working with Filipinos or other migrants who are born and have resided in Sabah for decades.”
“While we embrace our unity in diversity, it must not be done at expense of our security and sovereignty.” -pr/BNN
