The curfew in the waters off ESSZone has been prolonged till June 24.
The curfew that was supposed to end tomorrow in the waters off seven districts in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone) has been prolonged until June 24.
The curfew was in effect from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. in the waters off Tawau, Semporna, Kunak, Lahad Datu, Kinabatangan, Sandakan, and Beluran, according to Sabah police commissioner Datuk Idris Abdullah.
Those who live in the impacted areas must remain indoors, and strangers are not permitted to enter (or remain) in the area during this time.
The curfew was extended to ensure that terrorists would not intrude on the waterways, endangering locals, international scholars doing study, and visitors visiting the resort islands.
According to the information we gathered, kidnapping for ransom groups such as Abu Sayyaf are still attempting to infiltrate these seas in order to carry out kidnapping and cross-border crime.
The curfew was also in place to make it easier to enforce and monitor boat movements, while the presence of security officers in the area offered the locals a sense of security.
During the curfew, the district police chiefs in the affected districts have been given authority to grant permits to individuals who apply for fishing licences and to attend to urgent concerns.
