Kidnap: Mohammad Mentek MUST resign

Thursday 3 April 2014


TAWAU: Mohammad Mentek, the director general of Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) is taking heat from the opposition following another kidnapping incident in Semporna last night.

Sabah DAP vice-chairman Chan Foong Hin has called for his resignation for his failure to secure the east coast a year after Prime Minister Najib Razak promised to beef up security in Sabah following the infamous invasion of Kampung Tanduo by a group of gunmen from the Southern Philippines.

Chan said it was incredible that after having been allocated RM286 million in the previous budget as announced by Najib and the manning of 62 checkpoints, ESSCOM had still failed to perform.

The Sri Tanjong Assemblyman who went to Semporna upon learning about the incident noted that the resort involved is located just 10 minutes by boat from the mainland.

Ironically, prior to the incident, the armed forces had just organised a full-day programme to showcase the advance weapons for security personnel, such as the unmanned aerial vehicle, the Scaneagle.

“Then, at 10.30pm last night, a group of armed men abducted the Chinese tourist and a hotel employee from the resort which is just 10 minutes distance from mainland,” he said.

“Millions of ringgit have been spent and our security forces still can’t protect our guests. Therefore, I strongly called for resignation of Mentek from his post as ESSCOM chief since he has failed us,” Chan said.

However, Mentek is only doing what his bosses in the state and federal government have allowed him to do and calling for his head will not automatically solve the problem of security in the east coast.

According to sources, the ESSCOM chief, who was the state’s former Immigration Department director, has not been given full control to do as he sees fit in ensuring security in the east coast.

While he is the man in charge, he is by no means the one who calls the shots on how to tackle the issue given the delicate policy matters involved as well as political pressures.

But Chan is adamant. He said that such an incident recurring on Mentek’s watch just when the tourism industry in Semporna is starting to pick up is a major setback and he should be held responsible.

“After the Sulu invasion last year, tourism operators there had found it difficult to secure financing to further invest and develop the tourism industry,” he said.

He cited the Alorie Lepa Lepa Resort, a RM200 million Entry Point Project (EPP) under Economic Transformation Project (ETP), which has stopped construction for close to a year now, as a sign that all is not as rosy as believed. – CM

Borneo Insider

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