ESScom looking into adapting Brunei water villages in ESSzone

The Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) will be studying water villages in Brunei so that they can serve as models when water villages in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZOne) are relocated. ESSCom director-general Datuk Mohammad Mentek said ESSCom planned to send a high-level delegation to Brunei regarding the matter. Brunei has among the best structured water villages in the region. They have facilities like schools, clinics, police station and fire station. Mohammad told this to reporters after delivering a briefing to a six-strong Brunei delegation led by Brunei Research Department director Abdul Aziz Othman that visited the ESSCom headquarters here, Monday. Also present were ESSCom Security and Public Order director Datuk Abdul Rashid Harun and its Public Affairs and Management Services Division director Abdul Rahim Ishak. Mohammad added that pilot projects on the resettlement of water villages in the zone would be carried out in Semporna, Sandakan and Lahad Datu before being expanded zone-wide. He said a census had been done at the water village in Mukim Simunul, Semporna for the purpose last year and the another was to be carried out at four water villages in Sandakan - Mangkalinau, Cahaya Baru, Muhibbah and Forest - this month. Planning for a similar census at water villages in Lahad Datu was underway, he added. The ESSZone covers 10 districts - Kudat, Kota Marudu, Pitas, Beluran, Sandakan, Kinabatangan, Lahad Datu, Kunak, Semporna and Tawau. ESSCom and ESSZone were set up after terrorists from the southern Philippines who intruded into Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu in February last year were routed by the security forces.