KUALA LUMPUR, April 7 — Singamata Adventures Reef and Resort is among resorts on 11 islands in Semporna equipped with guard posts, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Previously, all the resorts were equipped with guard posts except for Singamata Adventures Reef and Resort, scene of the abduction of two people by gunmen on Wednesday.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said the guard post at the resort was put up immediately after the abduction of two women, including a Chinese national.
The guard post put up two days ago proved the government via Eastern Sabah Security Command (EssCom ) was concerned and uncompromising on security matters.
“Security at Singamata was not ignored. At 10.30pm, a few hours before the incident, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) checked the resort.
“The MMEA made 20 visits monthly, excluding regular patrol and monitoring,” he said winding up debate on the emergency motion tabled by Wong Tien Fatt @ Wong Nyuk Foh (DAP-Sandakan), here today.
In the incident, a group of seven gunmen invaded the resort and kidnapped Gao Hua Yuan, 29, from China, and Marcy Dayawan,40, a Filipino resort worker.
Shahidan said EssCom has launched Operasi Gasak to check the identity of reasort workers and arrested 26 illegal immigrants at six resorts in the area.
Suggestions from some elected representatives who want EssCom to be closed or director-general Datuk Mohammad Mentek sacked was inappropriate as it was new and coordinated operations of the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM), Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) and the MMEA.
The establishment of EssCom, announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on March 7 last year, succeeded in protecting the 1,400 km coastline of Eastern Sabah.
The government decision followed the intrusion by terrorists from southern Philippines in Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu in February last year. — Bernama
