An armed Malaysian policeman mans a security checkpoint in Lahad Datu on March 6, 2013. — AFP pic

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 7 — Fed up with the regularity of kidnappings by armed bandits from Sabah’s east coast, state DAP wants the government to dissolve the multi-million ringgit Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) and consider allowing high-risk individuals to arm themselves instead.

Sabah DAP secretary Chan Foong Hin said that the government needs to consider an alternative to trusting “failed Esscom bureaucrats” to protect the security of the state and look for other possibilities.

"People are fed up with all the uncontrolled kidnapping cases which seem never-ending. If Esscom can't provide armed forces in every fishery vessel, why not our government consider empowering our own people who risk their lives for their livelihood in the open sea by allocating arms to them?

“Self-protection is much more reliable than those armed forces who are away from them,” he said in a statement.

Chan said that since armed security forces have been placed at remote islands in the east coast, which are popular among tourists, kidnappings have been reduced there.

“Hence, it's important to have similar measures for fishing boats and goods vessels,” he said.

His statement comes following recent news reports that two Indonesian skippers were taken from their boat while in the waters of Kertam, Kinabatangan on Saturday in two separate incidents.

Chan, who is Sri Tanjong assemblyman, said Sabah security should be placed directly under the Home Ministry or Defence Ministry.

He added that Esscom has failed and criticised them for banning barter trade with neighbouring countries, which ultimately did not stop the kidnappings or other cross-border crime.

He also pointed out that their reliance on technology including satellite deployment as a security measure was not working.

“It's the will and commitment to combat crime, not the technology,” he said.

The kidnapping last Saturday is the seventh in the state this year, and took place at about 11am, approximately 15 nautical miles apart. Two victims, aged 52 and 46 years, were taken to the Philippines.

Barisan Nasional lawmakers too have been less than impressed with Esscom’s track record to date.

Yesterday, Kinabatangan MP Datuk Bung Moktar Radin called on Esscom to carry out a comprehensive study to combat kidnapping and map out a plan to prevent further incidents from occurring.

He said that the issue had to be looked into seriously as the government had allocated millions to boost security in the country, especially in Sabah.