SABAH COLUMN : Second day of curfew Esscom detains 69 fishermen

Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) detained 69 fishermen, including 10 women, and 11 boats for violating the curfew, being imposed on the second day off the coast of Sandakan, Lahad Datu and Semporna.

ESSCom commander Datuk Abdul Rashid Harun said seven out of the 11 boats were detained by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and the rest by the marine police.

"We arrest them (fishermen) for being in the restricted area while the curfew is being enforced from 6pm to 6am today.

"The majority of those detained did not have any valid identification documents," he said in a statement here today.

Abdul Rashid reminded the people to adhere to the curfew which was aimed at curbing cross border crimes, particularly abductions and smuggling activities in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZONE).

Last Saturday, Sabah police commissioner Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman announced the two-week curfew, effective until August 2, to be enforced three nautical miles off the coast stretching 362 nautical miles from Tanjung Pundaras in Sandakan to part of Pulau Sebatik in Tawau.

It involved an area of 121,270 nautical sq miles. Any trespassers found violating the curfew could be punished with a RM500 fine or six months' imprisonment.

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