KUALA LUMPUR: The government is prepared to take stern action based on the law against those “playing with fire” by attempting to instigate the people using the slogan “Sabah for the Sabahans” and “Sarawak for the Sarawakians”.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said such acts were very serious and they could face severe punishment.

“No one is above the law. We will not allow this to happen,” he said when simultaneously opening the general assembly of the Umno Wanita, Youth and Puteri movements at the Dewan Merdeka, Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) last night.

He said the action by the groups concerned to instigate the people using the slogan was very much against the Federal Constitution.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also Umno vice-president discharging the duties of the deputy president, reminded that such irresponsible action could lead to sufferings being faced by the people resulting from the game and instigation of foreign intervention in future.

“We have to prevent the act of playing with fire aimed at creating anarchy and national instability,” he said. Ahmad Zahid said they were willing to politicise the issue merely to gain the people’s support.

“All these happen when there are leaders who are trapped in the game planned by politicians who are bankrupt of ideas and soul,” he added.

He also added the federal government has never neglected Sabah and Sarawak especially on security matters.

He said the setting up of the Eastern Sabah Special Security Command (ESSCom) and the proposed construction of the latest technology border wall showed the government’s concern on national security.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also carrying out the duties of deputy party president, said the government had set aside RM250 million as initial allocation to improve the assets of ESSCom.

“Who says that we don’t care for Sabahans and Sarawakians? We have provided with the best of high technology (security facilities) at each entry point through the upgrading of the ICQ (Immigration, Customs and Quarantine complexes),” he said.

On March 7, 2013, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had announced the formation of ESSCom (formerly known as Sabah Special Security Area) followed by the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone) on March 27, 2013.

Subsequently, ESSCom was set up on April 1 the same year.

After that, ‘Ops Daulat’, which was launched following the intrusion by a Sulu armed group in Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu in Sabah, was replaced with “Operasi Sanggah” which was fully handled by ESSCom.

ESSCom acts as the security enforcer for ESSZone, which covers 10 districts in the East Coast of Sabah, in ensuring that the country’s security and sovereignty are always safeguarded. — Bernama