KOTA KINABALU, Sept 3 — The government has extended the curfew on Sabah’s restive east coast for another two weeks, starting tomorrow until September 18.
Sabah police commissioner Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman said the fourth extension was necessary as security in the Eastern Sabah Safety Zone (Esszone) is still under threat.
“We have received information of intentions to infiltrate the state and kidnapping through the waters off the east coast. The curfew is needed to keep the recreational islands and fish farms in the area safe,” he said.
Jaluluddin said the curfew has also been extended to help curb smuggling of firearms, drugs, and fuel.
A 6pm-to-6am curfew was first imposed on July 19 following repeated kidnappings and an attack by armed foreigners along the east coast of Sabah.
It has been extended every two weeks since, and recently shortened to 10 hours from 7pm to 5am beginning August 18.
The curfew covers areas starting from about three nautical miles from shore until the international border with the Philippines, stretching some 362 nautical miles and encompassing some 121,270 sq miles, from Tanjung Pundaras in Sandakan until parts of Pulau Sebatik near Tawau.
The six districts involved are Sandakan, Kinabatangan, Lahad Datu, Semporna, Kunak and Tawau.
Jalaluddin said that the three extensions have yielded some 92 arrests of fishermen for breaking curfew laws or found without documents.
“We have convicted 20 of them so far, with the rest still under remand,” he said.
