Putrajaya okays ‘shoot-first’ policy in Sabah waters

The security forces have been given orders to shoot intruders encroaching into Malaysian waters and posing a threat to national security following the latest killing and abduction on Pulau Mabul. – Pic courtesy of Jidin Giding, July 15, 2014.

Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has approved the Royal Malaysian Navy's request to fire at any individual or group which encroached into Sabah's waters, overriding an earlier statement by the attorney-general who was against it.

The home minister said security forces had been given orders to shoot intruders encroaching into Malaysian waters and posing a threat to national security.

He reportedly said if shooting could stop intruders, it was justified.

"Putrajaya has no problem with the shooting order if intruders attempt to enter the country," Zahid said.

Earlier yesterday, Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail had rejected the shooting suggestion from the navy chief, the Star reported.

"Malaysia is not a military state," Gani had said in a statement.

Royal Malaysian Navy chief Admiral Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Jaafar had sought Putrajaya's approval to fire upon any individual or group which intruded into Sabah's waters.

Aziz said if such permission was granted, it would be another way of preventing intrusion by terrorist groups from the southern Philippines.

Such action was mooted following the latest intrusion in which a marine policeman was shot dead while another was abducted.

In Saturday's incident, eight armed men stormed a resort on Pulau Mabul, killing Corporal Abdul Rajah Jamuan, 32, and abducting Constable Zakiah Aleip, 26.

The Star reported that Zahid also promised additional changes to the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom), as police take over its operations today.

"We must be proactive, not reactive and wait for someone to attack us before taking action," Zahid said was reported as saying.

"The new procedures will include surveillance and control."

Esscom had been set up in the aftermath of the Lahad Datu intrusion in March last year and was tasked with ensuring the security of eastern Sabah.

However, Esscom has been criticised following repeated abductions by Abu Sayyaf members.

"Resort operators on Pulau Mabul will be asked to install closed-circuit television monitors (CCTV) to record the movement of traffic in their areas," Zahid said in the report.

"They should invest some money for long-term benefits. If such resorts are closed down, it will be a big loss to them," he was reported as saying in the report.

- TMI