The Navy and EssCom echo Jeffrey’s stand on the “enemy within” but warn the problem has become complex.
KOTA KINABALU: Bingkor assemblyman Jeffrey Kitingan has taken heart from recent statements by the Eastern Sabah Security Command (EssCom) and the Navy conceding that “the enemy was within the state”. “However, the illegal immigrants from the Philippines are not the only enemy within.”
Coastguard Officer First Admiral M. Karunanithi, for one, has warned that the problem of illegal immigrants in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (EssZone) has become “complex” and would require careful planning and the participation of all stakeholders over a period of time, more than two years, to see some results.
EssCom Chief of Staff (Special Investigation and Technical) SAC Rosli Mohd Isa has warned that “the enemy is within the state”, specifically in EssZone which was declared after the intrusion in Lahad Datu two years ago by Sulu terrorists.
These enemies, which Rosli referred to as “moles”, were everywhere among the illegal immigrants especially in the EssZone. He didn’t provide any figures but it has been estimated in the past, in 2010, that there are some 1.7 million foreigners in Sabah including illegal immigrants as against 1.5 million locals.
One statement by EssCom, noted Jeffrey, has it calling for the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission’s (MACC) involvement in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (EssZone) to “check on corruption and the lack of integrity among civil servants and security forces”.
Jeffrey noted that EssCom has set a target of deporting 200,000 illegal immigrants from EssZone. “This may be a start, although the number of foreigners including illegal immigrants is in the region of 1.7 million people. There are also indications that the security problems elsewhere have become more serious.”
“The seriousness of the security situation can be gauged from internal and external developments.”
Internally, added Jeffrey, the authorities have increased the number of security personnel by another battalion. “The continuing incidents of cross-border kidnappings including that of security personnel for ransom, and the thwarting of at least six kidnapping attempts, and EssCom issuing regular statements calling for co-operation and feedback are other indications of increased security threats.”
Externally, continued Jeffrey, Sabah was suffering from three threats viz. the export of Umno’s brand of race and religion-driven politics, for one, which threaten the peace and harmony in a state of many multis – race, religion, and culture.
Secondly, the issuance of dubious ICs to illegal immigrants in Sabah, masterminded from Putrajaya. “This is a time bomb as confirmed by EssCom.”
Thirdly, the Federal Government having realised that the Filipino illegal immigrants in Sabah have become a time-bomb, has chosen to create another time-bomb as a balance of terror i.e. the issuance of ICs to Indonesians, especially Bugis.
“The Filipinos in Sabah are becoming increasingly restive over their perception that the Federal Government was favouring the Indonesians at their expense,” said Jeffrey. “It’s anybody’s guess what will happen in the future if the Filipinos and Indonesians go for each other’s throats.”
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