Govt mulling RCI on Lahad Datu

Home Minister Hishmmuddin Hussein also wants to know who's funding the terrorists.

SANDAKAN: The government has not dismissed the possibility of setting up a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) or opening a White Paper to investigate claims that third parties were behind the terrorist intrusion in Lahad Datu, Sabah, said Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

He said a thorough investigation needed to be done to find out the real motive for the intrusion including if there were any parties which underwrote the terrorists from the southern Philippines to undermine the country’s stability and sovereignty.

“This can be done either by an RCI or opening a White Paper. I myself want to know who are the masterminds and who are funding the terrorists and did the planning because all these concern national security,” he said.

Hishammuddin said this at a press conference at Sandakan police headquarters here yesterday after receiving a briefing on the latest public order situation in Sandakan, the second largest town in Sabah, from Sandakan police chief ACP Rowell Marong.

Meanwhile, he said, overall, the security situation in Sabah including in Tawau, Semporna and Sandakan had improved.

On the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom), he said a group led by Chief Secretary to the Government, Ali Hamsa, would be in Sabah tomorrow to identify the additional requirements for its establishment.

He said enforcement in waters off Sabah’s east coast would also be stepped up to prevent illegal entry including via rat trails by Philippine nationals.

Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today announced that the ministry would take over responsibility for security along Sabah’s east coast covering 1,400km, from the Prime Minister’s Department.

On the arrest by a Philippines Navy patrol unit yesterday of 35 Filipinos suspected to have ties with the Sulu terrorists, Hishammuddin said Wisma Putra would be discussing with Manila on the matter.

The Philippine media reported that the suspects were intercepted in two boats carrying weapons and explosives in waters off Tawi-Tawi at 6.30am yesterday.

Meanwhile, Two Agusta Westland AW109 multi-purpose army helicopters have been brought to the Felda Sahabat 16 plantation near here as part of the move to beef up the military assets used in the “Ops Daulat” offensive against Sulu terrorists.

The twin-engine eight-seat reconnaissance and transport aircraft will add to the might of the security forces in flushing out the terrorists who had intruded into Sabah on Feb 12.

The arrival of the helicopters follows the announcement by Chief of Defence Forces General Zulkifeli Mohd Zin yesterday that military assets and personnel would be beefed up for the “Ops Daulat” operation, particularly in Kampung Tanjung Batu and Sungai Nyamuk.

Zulkifeli had said that this measure was aimed at shutting off the enemy’s route of intrusion into the country, both via land and sea.

Besides the helicopters, 12 Adnan armoured combat vehicles and fighter aircraft of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) are also expected to arrive in stages.

Since March 1, security forces have killed 56 Sulu terrorists while eight policemen and two soldiers paid with their lives in the process.

- Bernama