THE State Government is looking into the application for land to build a new base for the marine police in Kota Kinabalu and for the General Operations Force (GOF) in Nabawan.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Haji Noor directed State Secretary, Datuk Seri Safar Untong, to look into the matter.
“The applications must be given priority because this involves security and the State’s sovereignty,” he said during his visit to the Sabah Police Contingent Headquarters in Kepayan, Kota Kinabalu, on Feb 28. Also present were Sabah Federal Secretary Datuk Sarul Bahiyah Abu and Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Idris Abdullah.
The Chief Minister also said he was satisfied with the overall security in the State.
“Based on the briefing by the Sabah Police Commissioner and his officers, I am glad to hear that we are in the good hands of the PDRM (Polis Diraja Malaysia),” he said.
Hajiji also directed Sabah police to heighten security surveillance in the run-up to the presidential election of neighbouring Philippines.
He wanted the police to monitor the situation since the issue of the Sabah claim will always be a hot topic used by Philippine presidential candidates to gain support from voters.
“The heat from the Philippines presidential election that will be held on May 9 needs to be monitored closely by police, especially the Special Branch,” he said.
On the issue of Sabah being used as a transit for illicit drug trafficking, Hajiji hoped police would continue to monitor the situation because the spill-over of the substances into the state would create major social issues.
He requested Sabah police to prepare a paper on the reinstatement of the ban on pump boats in Sabah to be presented during the State Security Committee meeting this year.
He said this is because alternatives must be given in order for the ban to be executed.
The State Security Committee had approved the reinstatement of the ban on pump boats in Sabah last year to avert cross-border kidnappings.
On the issue of firearms licences, Hajiji agreed that the power to approve the licence should be given to the Sabah Commissioner of Police, just like in Sarawak.
“I will bring up the matter to the Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister,” he said.
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