Sulu ID card scandal: Warisan wants security beefed up in Sabah’s east coast

KOTA KINABALU – Warisan has urged the government to expeditiously strengthen security along Sabah’s east coast, especially in light of the reported issuance of Sulu identification cards, which the party described as “alarming”.

Its president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said reports of groups or individuals issuing “Sulu Sultaniyah Darul Islam” (SSDI) identification documents for a fee are alarming because of the claim by purported heirs of the Sulu sultanate on Sabah. 

“We don’t want to cause alarm or panic but for as long as nothing serious is done (by the government), this threat on security will loom over us. And Sabahans, in particular, will be vulnerable to this. 

“Our security forces must be constantly alert and not take this matter lightly for even one minute,” he said in a statement today.

He added that he hopes that investigation into the SSDI case will be done swiftly and thoroughly.  

Shafie, who is Semporna MP, said an army camp should be located in Lahad Datu as the presence of the military will help to tighten security and supplement the work of the Eastern Sabah Security Command to fortify the coastal borders. 

He reiterated the need for both the state and federal governments to address the threat of the Sulu claim seriously and beef up security at whatever cost. 

He said Malaysians in Lahad Datu have had to put up with kidnappings and life-threatening situations for many years, to the extent that their livelihoods have been jeopardised. 

Tourism, a main contributor to Sabah’s economic growth, is adversely affected by this threat to security, he added. 

“Let’s not forget the tragic Tanduo incursion in 2013. That was a bitter chapter in our history and we do not want a repeat. 

“But for as long as the federal and state governments continue to brush it aside, this threat will keep on hovering over us like a dark cloud of doom,” he added. – The Vibes, July 30, 2022