APM to help patrol ESSZone - Shahidan

The Cabinet has agreed that members of the Civil Defence Force (APM) be mobilised to help the main security forces in patrolling the area under the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom).

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim, who said that Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had informed him of the decision after the Cabinet meeting yesterday, regarded it as a recognition of the capability of APM.

"The joint assignment and the number of members involved in the patrols depend on the requirements of the key teams or enforcement agencies at ESSCom, namely, the Malaysian Armed Forces, Royal Malaysian Navy and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency," he said.

He said this at a media conference after a ceremony to pin on APM ranks and presentation of honourary and associate letters of credentials to 12 recipients from among celebrities at the Malaysian Civil Defense Training Academy here today.

At the ceremony, Tengku Datuk Seri Kamarulzaman Sir Abu Bakar, who is a member of the Pahang royal family, was made APM honourary assistant commissioner (PA) and appointed as APM Arts Brigade Honourary Patron.

Shahidan said the involvement of APM is the same as the involvement of the People's Volunteer Corps (RELA) which helps the monitoring work of the security forces in the Eastern Sabah Safety Zone (ESSZone) as announced by Ahmad Zahid in Lahad Datu on Sept 29.

-- BERNAMA