The Phase 33 curfew in the waters of the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone) which is supposed to end Sunday, has been extended to Jan 12 (7pm-5am).

Sabah police commissioner Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman said the decision to extend the curfew order was to ensure the safety and well-being of Sabahans in the ESSZone.

The curfew covers the districts of Tawau, Semporna, Kunak, Lahad Datu, Kinabatangan, Sandakan and Beluran.

"The curfew is extended to control the movement of boats. The presence of security forces will provide confidence to the chalet operators and the fishermen," he said in a statement Saturday.

Jalaluddin said the curfew extension was also to protect Sabah from intrusion by terrorists who posed a threat to the safety of researchers and tourists visiting the resort islands.

"Police have received information that southern Philippine terrorists and the Abu Sayyaf group are trying to sneak into Sabah to commit kidnapping for ransom and other transborder crime.

"All district police chiefs in the ESSZone have been authorised to issue permits to those applying to carry out fishing activities and in emergency cases," he said.

In TONGOD, Jalaluddin opened the new RM10.1 million police station, built to boost maintenance of public order and security in the district with a population of about 50,000.

At the moment, 14 personnel led by a sergeant major were stationed at the police station, he said.