Govt approves RM23 million for immediate purchase of ESSCom assets

The government has approved a special allocation of RM23 million for the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) to immediately acquire necessary assets to combat cross-border crimes, said Chief Secretary to the government Tan Sri Ali Hamsa.

He said it was an additional allocation to the RM660 million given to ESSCom under the 2015 Budget.

"With this special allocation, the government has agreed to expedite the purchase and delivery of assets to the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone).

"The main objective is to ensure security within ESSZone was guaranteed," he told reporters after attending a meeting with the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom), here today.

Ali said ESSCom, headed by its Commander DCP Datuk Abd Rashid Harun, had been given a free hand in purchasing ready-made assets such as boats and four-wheel-drive vehicles from local suppliers.

He said more than 200 of those assets were needed to strengthen ESSCom's control in ESSZone.

Asked on air assets such as helicopters, Ali said such procurement required time, but was not out of the question.