KOTA KINABALU, Jan 9 — The Sabah police will continue to take aggressive action to eliminate unlawful possession of ‘bakakuk’, a type of handmade gun, said Sabah police commissioner Datuk Omar Mammah.

This, he said, was to curb various incidence of crime and death due to negligence involving the use of the firearm.

“Possession of bakakuk is unlawful because it is not licensed and those caught in possession of the weapon can be charged under Section 8 of the Firearms Act 1960.

“As such, we urge those with information on the matter to lodge a police report,” he said.

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Omar said a total of 34 units of bakakuk were seized by the police last year, involving 56 arrests.

Investigations revealed that the weapons are obtained from middlemen, while some made it themselves, he added.

On the crime index rate in Sabah, Omar said it dropped to 6,059 cases last year, from 6,150 cases in 1970.

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He attributed the drop to the hardwork of members of the Sabah police and cooperation from the public.

On the abduction of three fishermen in waters of Pegasus Reef, Kinabatangan, last month, he said the police, with the cooperation of the Philippine authorities, was investigating the case to identify the quarters responsible.

The three fishermen — identified as Heri Ardiansyah, 19, Jari Abdullah, dan Hariadin, 45, — were reported missing last December 6 after their boat was found abandoned.

The confirmation that they had been kidnapped and taken to an undisclosed location in the Philippines was made by one of the fishermen’s wife. — Bernama