Sabah police chief Hamza Taib says the operation is aimed at checking and making sure all resorts and lodging houses are run by legal operators who hire legitimate workers.
KOTA KINABALU: All resorts, lodging houses, homestays and tourism operators off Semporna will come under close scrutiny of the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM), police and a newly formed special task force (STF) comprising representatives from the state and federal Tourism, Culture and Environment ministries, immigration and related agencies.
Sabah Police Commissioner Hamza Taib said police will begin its security sweep and screening the islands off Semporna (in Sabah’s east coast) soon.
He said the operation was aimed at checking and ensuring that all operators of resorts and lodging houses were legitimate and hired legal local workers.
He said the police and other agencies would centralise their enforcement to enhance security in certain areas.
This follows the kidnapping on Nov 15 of a 58-year-old Taiwanese woman was kidnapped while her 57-year-old husband was shot dead while holidaying in Pulau Pom Pom off Semporna.
The incident, barely a kilometre from the General Operations Forces (GOF) headquarters shocked Sabahans and mocked at state and federal officials who had been bragging about Eastern Sabah Security Command’s (Esscom) security net.
Yesterday Sabah Tourism Minister Masidi Manjun said tourism operators must take security matters seriously and comply with the stipulated regulations.
“Their staff must be fully documented and not illegals. All guests should also be fully documented irrespective of whether the guest desires to be anonymous or unknown for security reasons.
“And homestay businesses must meet specific conditions and lodging houses must be licensed by the authorities…we cannot allow or close eyes to illegal homestay ventures,” Masidi said.
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