Curfew in Esszone extended to July 4

KOTA KINABALU, June 18  -- The curfew involving the waters of seven districts in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone) which is to end at 6 pm tomorrow has been extended to July 4, Sabah police commissioner Datuk Zaini Jas announced in a statement today.

He said with the extension of the curfew, people living in the area were required to stay indoors, while outsiders would not be allowed to be in the waters there between 6pm and 6am on the specified date.

The districts are Tawau, Semporna, Kunak, Lahad Datu, Kinabatangan, Sandakan and Beluran.

Zaini said the curfew was extended to facilitate monitoring and law enforcement to ensure that the areas would not be intruded by outlaws who have been threatening the safety of the residents, fishermen, chalet operators, as well as tourists and international researchers in the islands.

He said the Abu Sayyaf militant group and those involved in kidnapping-for-ransom from the southern Philippines were still trying to encroach into Malaysian waters to commit cross-border crimes.

“I have also authorised all district police chiefs in the ESSZone to issue permits to eligible applicants for the purpose of fishing activities or to attend to urgent matters during the curfew,” he said.

-- BERNAMA