KOTA KINABALU: Cross-border criminals are believed to be moving their activities from the east to the north of Sabah following a pirate attack on a fishing vessel where two Vietnamese sustained gunshot wounds on Tuesday.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman said security level would be tightened on the northern part of Sabah, including Kudat, following the 9am incident near Banggi Island, Kudat on October 14.
“We will be moving our assets to the north as soon as possible to enhance security level in those areas,” he said yesterday.
Two Vietnamese fishermen sustained gunshot wounds after they were said to be attacked by Filipino pirates near Banggi Island, Kudat on Tuesday.
The victims were identified as Nguyen Nain Len, 47, and Huynh Thanh Tuan, 33, who were injured in the armpit and knee respectively.
The duo were among 10 fishermen on board a fishing vessel which belongs to a Sabah-registered vessel, SK Fishing Enterprise.
Jalaluddin said that the attempted robbery was one of the indications that criminals may be moving from the east to the north.
“However, this incident happened outside Malaysian waters and we will contact our counterparts as well as the Philippine Government to facilitate their investigation into this case,” he said.
Jalaluddin therefore reminded fishermen not to wander off Malaysian waters as it is considered dangerous.
“We will not be able to guarantee their safety if they want to venture beyond Malaysia waters,” he said.
