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KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): Elements from a neighboring country are believed to be hiding on islands near Sabah, waiting to enter the state to disrupt state elections on Saturday (September 25), says Deputy Inspector General of Police Datuk Seri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani.
He said islands outside of Malaysia’s territory are being used as stopping points by foreigners, with the closest one being about five nautical miles from the waters of Sabah, or about 10 minutes by boat.
“They are believed to use boats with a capacity of 40 to 50 people each. They are now on nearby islands, but we (Malaysian security forces) are constantly monitoring their movements.
“They have been caught holding out to try to violate our security while waiting for the right moment to cross our borders,” he told Bernama.
Acryl Sani said that prior to this, security forces had thwarted several attempts to invade Sabah waters.
“In fact, we have already beefed up border security to curb the entry of illegal immigrants long before state elections as part of efforts to contain the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
He said that the Sabah police had been coordinating with the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) to strengthen the assets of the security forces for this purpose.
Police said on Thursday (September 24) that some 7,600 officers and men had been deployed according to divisions to ensure the smooth running of state elections.
Apart from this, 1,700 personnel have been assigned for basic police tasks and another 1,700 to maintain security, especially on the east coast of Sabah.
Another 73 teams, made up of 1,276 officers and men and 570 staff members from other agencies, had been formed to ensure compliance with standard operating procedure to curb the spread of Covid-19.
It was also reported that the Chief of the Armed Forces, Gen Tan Sri Affendi Buang, said that the Armed Forces have improved security in Sabah to ensure the smooth conduct of state elections, following reports that foreign elements may attempt to disrupt the polls. .
Last Sunday (September 20), Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hazani Ghazali said the police had received information that elements from a neighboring country were planning to enter Sabah and disrupt Saturday’s elections. – Bernama
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