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Eastern Sabah Security Command
Malaysian maritime security area

The Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) is a Malaysian security area that covers 1,400 km of the east coast of Sabah from Kudat to Tawau. It was announced on 7 March 2013 by Musa Aman, the Sabah State Chief Minister. Its purpose is to strengthen maritime security in the eastern part of Sabah following the persistent attacks by pirates and militants in the southern Philippines especially after the 2013 Lahad Datu standoff, while at the same time ensuring that trade and business activity are not affected. The ESSCOM headquarters and main base is currently located in Lahad Datu.

On 8 July 2014, then-Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak announced the restructuring of the ESSCOM with the setting up of two major components - security and defence management as well as enforcement and public action.

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Scope

ESSCOM is the authoritative body that oversees Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZONE), which comprises the districts of Kudat, Kota Marudu, Pitas, Beluran, Sandakan, Kinabatangan, Lahad Datu, Kunak, Semporna and Tawau.456 The body is chaired by the Chief Minister of Sabah, assisted by a CEO appointed by the government.78 ESSCOM's primary initiative is the establishment of new police stations to further improve security.9

Visits

On 9 June 2014, around 20 students from the Royal College of Defence Studies (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 Major General Sir Sebastian John Lechmere Roberts along with other 19 senior military officers and civilians from various countries including Sudan, Lebanon, Italy, Estonia, Egypt, Ghana, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Kenya and the United Kingdom.10 On 25 August 2016, four Japanese delegates from the Japan Terrorism Prevention Unit also visited ESSCOM.11

Director-General

The Director-General of ESSCOM is selected on a rotational basis.12

NameFormer PositionTake officeOut OfficeTime in officeNote
Datuk Mohammad MentekSabah immigration department director01/04/201307/08/20141 year1st Sabahan, East Malaysian and non police officer appointed as Esscom commander
Datuk Abdul Rashid HarunPolice, Internal Security and Public Order, former Pasukan Gerakan Khas VAT69 commander.1308/08/201422/12/20151 yearHe was then transferred and appointed as Sabah police commissioner before he retired in 2017
Datuk Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul KhalidKuala Lumpur police contingent Public Order Department head23/12/201518/07/20172 years
Datuk Hazani GhazaliSpecial Actions Unit Commander, Royal Malaysian Police19/07/201704/09/20203 yearsHe was later appointed as Internal and Public Order Security Department director in late 2020
DCP Dato Ahmad Fuad OthmanSarawak Brigade, General Operations Force Commander05/09/202011/12/20211 year
DCP Ahmad HamzahFederal Reserve Unit Commander12/12/202117/05/20231 year, 5 months and 5 daysTransferred to Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department, Bukit Aman
DCP Mohd Ali TambySpecial Actions Unit (Malaysia) & Chief of Staff, Special Forces unit, Esscom18/05/202310/06/20231 month
DCP Victor SanjosDeputy Kelantan state police chief11/06/2023 (acting) & 03/07/2023 (official duty)-now1 year2nd East Malaysian and Sabahan commander as of 2023

See also

References

  1. "ESSZONE Set up to halt incursions". The Star (Malaysia). http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2013/3/26/nation/12886954&sec=nation ↩

  2. "Phase one of security area named ESS Com". The Star (Malaysia). http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?sec=nation&file=/2013/3/12/nation/12822551 ↩

  3. "ESSZONE Set up to halt incursions". The Star (Malaysia). http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2013/3/26/nation/12886954&sec=nation ↩

  4. "ESSZONE Set up to halt incursions". The Star (Malaysia). http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2013/3/26/nation/12886954&sec=nation ↩

  5. "Security area widened in east Sabah". New Straits Times. http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/security-area-widened-in-east-sabah-1.241972 ↩

  6. "Sabah Immigration director is Esscom chief". New Straits Times. http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/sabah-immigration-director-is-esscom-chief-1.244510 ↩

  7. "Government-appointed CEO to oversee operations of Eastern Sabah Security Command". The Star (Malaysia). http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2013/3/17/nation/12849426&sec=nation ↩

  8. "Security area widened in east Sabah". New Straits Times. http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/security-area-widened-in-east-sabah-1.241972 ↩

  9. "Government forms East Sabah Safe Zone". New Straits Times. http://www.nst.com.my/latest/font-color-red-update-font-government-forms-east-sabah-safe-zone-1.241426 ↩

  10. "RCDS students visit ESSCOM HQ". New Sabah Times. 10 June 2014. Retrieved 13 January 2015. http://www.newsabahtimes.com.my/nstweb/fullstory/78095 ↩

  11. "Japanese officials visit Esscom". Daily Express (Malaysia). 26 August 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2016. http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=112361 ↩

  12. [1], "Beliau berkata, tempoh pelantikan itu adalah selama enam bulan dan ia dilaksanakan secara bergilir-gilir." http://www.sinarharian.com.my/semasa/abdul-rashid-dilantik-pengarah-operasi-esscom-1.281730 ↩

  13. [2], VAT69 commander to lead Esscom in power restructure http://www.nst.com.my/node/10819 ↩