KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 — Putrajaya has listed down today three new plans for the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) to curb recurring kidnappings in the east coast of Sabah, minister Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim announced in Parliament.

In a written reply to Tuaran MP Datuk Madius Tangau, the minister in the Prime Minister’s Department said the plans included establishing sea bases and designated routes for ships, in addition to volunteer enforcement units.

“The government will take some new steps to ensure that security in the area remains at a high level,” Shahidan wrote.

“We are confident these steps will increase the security level in Sabah’s east coast.”

Shahidan said Putrajaya will implement “sea basing” in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (Esszone), with help from national oil giant Petronas.

“Sea basing” refers to a naval strategy where offshore bases can operate without constantly relying on resources and infrastructure onshore.

Meanwhile, the designated routes will apply to all vessels entering Sabah, said the Arau MP.

Volunteer units will also be started among the Malaysian Armed Forces, Royal Malaysian Police, Malaysian Civil Defence Department (JPAM), and the People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela).

The three new plans will be carried out on top of 12 existing programmes including the Ops Gasak, which has detained 1,296 illegal immigrants from November 2013.

Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said earlier today that the recent spate of abductions off Sabah’s east coast have taken a heavier toll on Malaysia’s tourism industry compared to the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines’ MH370 jetliner.

The government set up the Esscom following the invasion of Sulu militants in Lahad Datu in February last year.

The unit is responsible to keep tabs on the 1,400km of the eastern coast of Sabah ranging from Kudat to Tawau.