Sulu threat: Worry about the enemy within

Security experts say more intelligence-gathering should be done because followers of the Sulu sultanate depend on insider information before launching an attack.

PETALING JAYA: Intelligence services should worry more about immigrants providing inside information on the security situation in Sabah, than the potential successors of the Sulu sultanate.

D’Kayu security director and security analyst Sirajudin Mohamed Mydin, said there were a large number of Sulu immigrants who had migrated to Sabah and some of them could act as ‘insiders’ providing information on the state security situation.

“This was proved when the group of Sulu gunmen tried to invade the Sabah a year ago. It is impossible to invade without insider intelligence,” said Sirajudin.

He also commented that a Special Branch (SB) officer was jailed seven years for withholding information on Sulu gunmen.

He said this sort of information was important in preventing armed incursions.

“If there is a mole within the intelligence services, we can lose out to the enemy. Withholding intelligence information can be advantageous to the enemy,” said Sirajudin.

The security analyst said the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) should be modelled after the Rajang Area Security Command (Rascom) in Sarawak in the 1970s to flush out communist terrorists.

The National Security Council formed Rascom on March 25, 1972 , to combat communist insurgents of the Northern Kalimantan People’s Party (Paraku) in central Sarawak.

Rascom was instrumental in bringing peace and also getting Paraku to lay down their arms, thus bringing the three-decade communist insurgency to an end.

Yesterday, the Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the threat was still present despite the death of Jamalul Kiram III, the proclaimed sultan of the Sulu sultanate.

Zahid had said that based on police intelligence seven people were competing to head the terrorist group and national security would remain on full alert.

He had instructed the police and the armed forces to be be prepared against any eventuality, but declined to name seven people involved in the power struggle.

Jamalul Kiram III died at a hospital in Manila, Philippines, of organ failure, last week.

Threat remains as ‘territorial’ claims exist

A former commando and intelligence reconnaissance expert, who wish to remain unnamed, said the followers of Jamalul Kiram III still wanted to reclaim Sabah.

He suggested  the armed forces increase sea patrols to protect the coast from Sulu gunmen.

He said intelligence services should increase their information-gathering activity so that the government could be well prepared in the event of an incursion.

“At least to two or three battalions should be stationed and patrol the Eastern Sabah Security Zone,” he said.

He added that if Sulu migrants could identity themselves as Malaysians and make Sabah their home then the connection back home in Sulu would be cut and the threat reduced.