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Eastern Sabah Security Command
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<h2 id="scope">Scope</h2> <p>ESSCOM is the authoritative body that oversees <a href="/facts/Eastern_Sabah_Security_Zone/JM1X0oub">Eastern Sabah Security Zone</a> (ESSZONE), which comprises the districts of Kudat, Kota Marudu, Pitas, Beluran, Sandakan, Kinabatangan, Lahad Datu, Kunak, Semporna and Tawau.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> The body is chaired by the Chief Minister of Sabah, assisted by a CEO appointed by the government.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> ESSCOM's primary initiative is the establishment of new police stations to further improve security.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="visits">Visits</h2> <p>On 9 June 2014, around 20 students from the <a href="/facts/Royal_College_of_Defence_Studies/zbqwXx4N">Royal College of Defence Studies</a> (RCDS) visited ESSCOM headquarters to know the concept of the security area, particularly its integrated operations involving various agencies as well as procedures in dealing with challenges and issues that arise. The delegation was led by <a href="/facts/Major-general_(United_Kingdom)/ABDbhew9">Major General</a> Sir Sebastian John Lechmere Roberts along with other 19 senior military officers and civilians from various countries including <a href="/facts/Sudan/yGeaNdvS">Sudan</a>, <a href="/facts/Lebanon/2dReTXyp">Lebanon</a>, <a href="/facts/Italy/tUf0PDYF">Italy</a>, <a href="/facts/Estonia/PVjB16TI">Estonia</a>, <a href="/facts/Egypt/8Ttg0JwB">Egypt</a>, <a href="/facts/Ghana/IkUw32Ya">Ghana</a>, <a href="/facts/Afghanistan/v63Auu1C">Afghanistan</a>, <a href="/facts/India/1kKHcnxM">India</a>, <a href="/facts/Pakistan/cbIsvJy1">Pakistan</a>, <a href="/facts/Kenya/Y9Ko9pQu">Kenya</a> and the <a href="/facts/United_Kingdom/kuPAILt2">United Kingdom</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> On 25 August 2016, four Japanese delegates from the Japan Terrorism Prevention Unit also visited ESSCOM.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="director-general">Director-General</h2> <p>The Director-General of ESSCOM is selected on a rotational basis.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> </p> <table><tbody><tr><th>Name</th><th>Former Position</th><th>Take office</th><td>Out Office</td><td>Time in office</td><td>Note</td></tr><tr><td>Datuk Mohammad Mentek</td><td>Sabah immigration department director</td><td>01/04/2013</td><td>07/08/2014</td><td>1 year</td><td>1st Sabahan, East Malaysian and non police officer appointed as Esscom commander</td></tr><tr><td>Datuk Abdul Rashid Harun</td><td>Police, Internal Security and Public Order, former <a href="/facts/Pasukan_Gerakan_Khas/ENBvvY56">Pasukan Gerakan Khas</a> VAT69 commander.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a></td><td>08/08/2014</td><td>22/12/2015</td><td>1 year</td><td>He was then transferred and appointed as Sabah police commissioner before he retired in 2017</td></tr><tr><td>Datuk Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid</td><td>Kuala Lumpur police contingent Public Order Department head</td><td>23/12/2015</td><td>18/07/2017</td><td>2 years</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Datuk Hazani Ghazali</td><td>Special Actions Unit Commander, Royal Malaysian Police</td><td>19/07/2017</td><td>04/09/2020</td><td>3 years</td><td>He was later appointed as Internal and Public Order Security Department director in late 2020</td></tr><tr><td>DCP Dato Ahmad Fuad Othman</td><td>Sarawak Brigade, General Operations Force Commander</td><td>05/09/2020</td><td>11/12/2021</td><td>1 year</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>DCP Ahmad Hamzah</td><td>Federal Reserve Unit Commander</td><td>12/12/2021</td><td>17/05/2023</td><td>1 year, 5 months and 5 days</td><td>Transferred to Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department, Bukit Aman</td></tr><tr><td>DCP Mohd Ali Tamby</td><td><a href="/facts/Special_Actions_Unit_(Malaysia)/SLQHK2Jw">Special Actions Unit (Malaysia)</a> & Chief of Staff, Special Forces unit, Esscom</td><td>18/05/2023</td><td>10/06/2023</td><td>1 month</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>DCP Victor Sanjos</td><td>Deputy Kelantan state police chief</td><td>11/06/2023 (acting) & 03/07/2023 (official duty)-now</td><td></td><td>1 year</td><td>2nd East Malaysian and Sabahan commander as of 2023</td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Eastern_Sabah_Security_Zone/JM1X0oub">Eastern Sabah Security Zone</a> (ESSZONE)</li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="http://esscom.gov.my/">Official website</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"ESSZONE Set up to halt incursions". The Star (Malaysia). <a href="http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2013/3/26/nation/12886954&sec=nation" target="_blank">http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2013/3/26/nation/12886954&sec=nation</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"Phase one of security area named ESS Com". The Star (Malaysia). <a href="http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?sec=nation&file=/2013/3/12/nation/12822551" target="_blank">http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?sec=nation&file=/2013/3/12/nation/12822551</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"ESSZONE Set up to halt incursions". The Star (Malaysia). <a href="http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2013/3/26/nation/12886954&sec=nation" target="_blank">http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2013/3/26/nation/12886954&sec=nation</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>"ESSZONE Set up to halt incursions". The Star (Malaysia). <a href="http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2013/3/26/nation/12886954&sec=nation" target="_blank">http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2013/3/26/nation/12886954&sec=nation</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"Security area widened in east Sabah". New Straits Times. <a href="http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/security-area-widened-in-east-sabah-1.241972" target="_blank">http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/security-area-widened-in-east-sabah-1.241972</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>"Sabah Immigration director is Esscom chief". New Straits Times. <a href="http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/sabah-immigration-director-is-esscom-chief-1.244510" target="_blank">http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/sabah-immigration-director-is-esscom-chief-1.244510</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>"Government-appointed CEO to oversee operations of Eastern Sabah Security Command". The Star (Malaysia). <a href="http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2013/3/17/nation/12849426&sec=nation" target="_blank">http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2013/3/17/nation/12849426&sec=nation</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>"Security area widened in east Sabah". New Straits Times. <a href="http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/security-area-widened-in-east-sabah-1.241972" target="_blank">http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/security-area-widened-in-east-sabah-1.241972</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>"Government forms East Sabah Safe Zone". New Straits Times. <a href="http://www.nst.com.my/latest/font-color-red-update-font-government-forms-east-sabah-safe-zone-1.241426" target="_blank">http://www.nst.com.my/latest/font-color-red-update-font-government-forms-east-sabah-safe-zone-1.241426</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>"RCDS students visit ESSCOM HQ". New Sabah Times. 10 June 2014. Retrieved 13 January 2015. <a href="http://www.newsabahtimes.com.my/nstweb/fullstory/78095" target="_blank">http://www.newsabahtimes.com.my/nstweb/fullstory/78095</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>"Japanese officials visit Esscom". Daily Express (Malaysia). 26 August 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2016. <a href="http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=112361" target="_blank">http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=112361</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>[1], "Beliau berkata, tempoh pelantikan itu adalah selama enam bulan dan ia dilaksanakan secara bergilir-gilir." <a href="http://www.sinarharian.com.my/semasa/abdul-rashid-dilantik-pengarah-operasi-esscom-1.281730" target="_blank">http://www.sinarharian.com.my/semasa/abdul-rashid-dilantik-pengarah-operasi-esscom-1.281730</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>[2], VAT69 commander to lead Esscom in power restructure <a href="http://www.nst.com.my/node/10819" target="_blank">http://www.nst.com.my/node/10819</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>