KOTA KINABALU, April 9 ― The Eastern Sabah Security Command’s (Esscom) inability to prevent the abduction of four Malaysians last week shows its failure in securing the state’s porous coastline, according to critical Sabah lawmakers.

Some also reproached the government for setting up the agency as a response to the 2013 Lahad Datu invasion without a clear blueprint on how it should achieve its goal, resulting in reactionary measures that they said do not fundamentally improve security.

“The institution has failed us. They don't know what to do and instead have proposed to ban barter trade. Once something happens, their immediate reaction is to find fault,” Sri Tanjung assemblyman Chan Foong Hin said.

The age-old practice of barter trading continues to thrive in Sabah, but its popularity in the east coast areas of the state that are most susceptible to intrusions by Filipino gunmen had prompted calls for it to be stopped.

Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman recently announced a suspension on all barter trade activities at the state’s barter trade ports, as well as trading activities involving transhipment in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (Esszone) area.

The move came following the latest kidnapping in the state, of four Sarawakian crew onboard a vessel near Ligitan Island last week when armed gunmen hijacked a tugboat and forced the four to disembark while leaving six more onboard. Police have still yet to identify the kidnappers although they are believed to be in hiding in southern Philippines.

But Chan argued that the four Sarawakian sailors abducted off Semporna were returning from dropping off timber cargo in Manila, and were not involved in bartering.

“Can we ban transport after we have (an) accident? Can we close down banks after we have robbery cases? Definitely, no. The real issue for Esscom or even BN administration is failure to think,” he said.

Inanam assemblyman Dr Roland Chia said the latest round of intrusions must invite scrutiny on the federal spending used to set up and maintain Esscom.

He said that for the purpose of securing Sabah’s waters from repeated intrusions by Filipino gunmen who enter with seeming impunity, the government has poured hundreds of millions into the agency for its equipment and manpower needs.

“Yet, it has come to nought with another disastrous episode of kidnapping of four Malaysians,” he said.

Dr Chia added that last week’s abduction would force Sabah, which is still recovering from a deadly earthquake last June, to face another heavy blow to its tourism sector, which is the second highest income earner in the state.  

According to veteran Sabah politician Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, the primary shortcoming of Esscom was that it was created before authorities adequately considered the requirements for securing the state’s waters.

He also argued that a more effective solution would be to strengthen internal security and intelligence gathering, as well as involving local communities more in Sabah’s security issues.

“Is Esscom the answer to our security problems? What really are our security problems? Have we defined, identified and really analysed them? I don’t think so,” he said.

Putatan MP Datuk Marcus Mojigoh argued that despite insufficient assets, Esscom has managed to thwart many security breach attempts.

Esscom was formed to strengthen maritime security in east Sabah and to prevent terrorist activities in its waters, while at the same time ensuring that trade and business activities are not affected.