DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang has urged that the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) be shut down if it claims to be powerless over the latest cross-border kidnapping in Sabah.

 

"The Esscom might as well close down if after the Malaysian taxpayers spending RM300 million on it, all it could do is to admit that it is 'powerless' following the abduction of two women from a resort off Semporna on Wednesday," he said in a statement yesterday.

 

Lim was responding to Esscom corporate communication head Newmond Tibin who on Friday reportedly said the command had no direct control to instruct the 10 districts in the Esszone.

 

He had reportedly said the districts have their own OCPD who answer to state police commissioner Hamza Taib, while Esscom only coordinates agencies.

 

"This is the latest example of Malaysia's shambolic governance, with one agency after another denying responsibility and passing the buck to another, making fools of the Malaysian people," said Lim.

 

"After the expenditure of RM300 million, Sabahans and Malaysians are told that Esscom is not responsible for their security. If so, why set up Esscom?

 

"It is clear that the RM300 million spent on Esscom has been a total waste of money as there can be no excuse to spend such a vast sum of money to erect a superstructure just to play the role of co-ordination of the 10 police districts," he added.

 

The Esscom was created last year after Sulu fighters from the Philippines launched an incursion into Lahad Datu, Sabah which left nine members of the Malaysian security forces and at least 67 intruders dead.

 

Lim said unless Esscom can provide a satisfactory explanation over its apparent lack of role except for coordinating works, Parliament should move to have the command dissolved.

 

"Sabah and Malaysia do not need a RM300 million 'white elephant'," he said.

 

On Wednesday night, Chinese tourist Gao Huayun, 29. and Filipina worker Marcy Dayawan @ Mimi, 40, were seized by seven gunmen on a speed boat at Singamata Adventures and Reef Resort, off the Semporna coast.

 

They are believed to have been taken to southern Philippines but no ransom demand has been made.

 

This came four months after another incident where a Taiwanese tourist was murdered and his wife kidnapped to the southern Philippines for ransom.

Both security breaches came after the creation of Esscom.