Threat of kidnapping gangs brings extended curfew off coast of East Malaysia
The Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSzone) curfew will require residents to stay indoors from 6pm to 6am
Sabah’s dusk-to-dawn curfew in East Malaysia, which has been in force for over two years in waters off seven districts in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (Esszone), will continue until Dec 29.
The curfew was supposed to have ended at 6pm yesterday.
Sabah police commissioner Datuk Abdul Rashid Harun said they received information that kidnapping gangs from southern Philippines and Abu Sayyaf militants were still trying to sneak into Esszone waters.
“This curfew is also enforced to help ease the monitoring and enforcement of movement and give a sense of security to chalet operators and fishermen through the presence of our security forces,” he said in a statement here yesterday.
On Thursday, a brazen kidnapping and robbing spree by seven Filipino gunmen ended with them facing off with the police elite team, Tiger Platoon.
Three of the gunmen, including Abraham Hamid – described as a kidnap kingpin by the Philippine military – were killed in the incident while two others were arrested.