Curfew off the east coast of Sabah begins 6pm today

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman said a curfew would be enforced off the east coast of Sabah from today until Aug 2.

The starting margin of the curfew, which will be from 6pm until 6am, would be three nautical miles from the coast off Tg Pundaras in Sandakan, Kinabatangan, Lahad Datu, Semporna and Jeti Tawau in Tawau.

The stretch totals 362 nautical miles, involving an area of 121,270 nautical sq miles.

"I am invoking my power under Section 3(1) of the Police Act 1967 to declare this curfew. It can sustain for not more than 24 hours. But I have written to the Home minister and he has agreed to extend the period, not exceeding 14 days," he told reporters here today.

He said from then on, anyone who needed to enter or pass through the area, other than the security forces, must first obtain a permit from the district police chief.

"Anyone found trespassing the curfew area would be arrested under Section 3(2) of the Police Act 1967 and charged under Section 94 of the Police Act 1967.

"Anyone who entered the area and is confronted by the authorities for an inspection should relent rather than resist, which might compel the latter to use force, provided for under the law," he said.

According to him, trespassers could be punished with a RM500 fine or six months' imprisonment.

Jalaluddin said that the security forces could also "shoot on sight", at any intruders they knew to be involved in kidnapping or murder cases, which carry the death penalty or a life sentence.

Meanwhile, he said deep sea fishermen who normally go out to sea during the night would require a permit from the district police chief just to pass through and not to fish in the curfew area.