Bakri (seated (centre) with Ranjit (seated fourth left), Rosland (seated fourth right) and members of the media in a group photo.
KOTA KINABALU: Serious consideration and indept discussion must be made before banning pump boats in Sabah, said Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri.
He said the matter must be discussed at the state level, which must involve the State Security Council, Sabah Chief Minister and several agencies such as the Department of Ports and Harbour Department as such drastic action could affect fishermen in Sabah.
“Most fishermen in Sabah still use pump boats for their daily activities, so a constructive decision must be made to ban the use of pump boats which are said to have been used by criminals.
“Most pump boats that are used by criminals have been modified with more than one high-power engines for criminals to escape into the sea,” he said during the Defence Ministry dinner with the media here on Saturday.
Also present were Fifth Infantry Brigade commander Brigadier General Datuk Ranjit Singh Ramday, Sabah Navy Regional Two commander First Admiral Datuk Mohammad Rosland Omar and National Service Training Department director-general Datuk Abdul Hadi Awang Minor.
Elaborating further, Bakri who is also the Kudat member of parliament, said the ban of pump boats would only make it difficult for fishermen as it is their main transport to go to sea.
“Not many fishermen can afford fishing vessels which are big and expensive,” he said, adding that such situations could affect their daily incomes.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar recently recommended to ban pump boats from being used in shallow waters in eastern Sabah following the recent murder-kidnap incident in Semporna and the Lahad Datu intrusion early this year.
However, he admitted this may be difficult for the locals who use the pump boats daily but he said there should not be any compromise in safety.