SEMPORNA FOLKS NOW FREE FROM PIRATES

By Nashir Mansor

SEMPORNA (Malaysia), Aug 20 (Bernama) -- What had happened one fine morning
in the 1960s is still fresh in Taib Asakil's mind.

That day, a vessel that appeared like a fishing boat had approached the boat
in which Taib and a friend were fishing in the waters off Semporna, a seaside
town in East Malaysia state of Sabah.

However when the approaching vessel had came close and gunshots were fired,
only then Taib realised that the men on the other vessel were pirates or 'mundu'
as described by the locals.

Piracy off the east coast of Sabah then was rampant and had threatened the
livelihood of fishermen not only from Semporna but also from along the
coastline.

The pirates not only terrorised the high seas but were also daring and made
landings on the coast, seizing and robbing whatever they wanted. Those who
resisted the pirates had to pay with their own lives.

For Taib he never thought the tales of piracy that were told by friends
would one day hit him.

At that particular moment, I left everything to Allah. Fortunately we were
not harmed and our boat was left untouched by the pirates.

"Maybe the pirates were not interested with the engine on our boat as it
was quite old and difficult to remove unlike the portable outboard engines.

"They left without taking anything," said the 79-year-old Taib, the father
of four children.

"What I can say was that I was thankful to Allah as I was unharmed (by the
pirates). Unlike what had happened to a friend who was forced to jump into the
sea before the pirates took away the boat engine and paddles," said the breeder
of caged fish.

Today, the threat by the pirates that haunted Taib and his fishermen friends
is no more and only remained as a chapter in Semporna's history.

People of the east coast of Sabah are now living in peace and without fear
as they are free from the clutches of the pirates, just like the nation which
has achieved independence from colonisation.

This is due to the government's measures to boost security along the some
1,700km stretch of the Sabah east coast including the deployment of more
security assets and forces at various strategic spots including at the islands
off Semporna.

Today, apart from the naval bases at Sandakan, Lahad Datu, Semporna and
Tawau, units from the General Operations Force, Marine Operations Force and
Maritime Enforcement Agency patrolled the waters round-the-clock.

The Armed Forces (ATM) are in the midst of installing nine radars at
strategic points along the Sabah east coast, capable of monitoring what happens
on the high seas.

These specially designed radars are not only able to 'watch' activities in
the waters off the Sabah east coast but they can monitor the high seas as far as
Sulu and Sulawesi Seas. The radars are also designed to relay information
promptly to the security forces for immediate action.

One of these radars is already operational. Three more would be ready before
the year ends while the rest are expected to be operational next year.

"(Installation of) these radars at strategic locations would allow us to
monitor activities in the air, sea and land.

"We also monitor merchant ships and movement of vessels from neighbouring
nations. If there are suspicious activities, we can take immediate action to
prevent any incursion (into the country's waters)," Defence Minister Dr Ahmad
Zahid Hamidi said during his visit to Sabah last Aug 3-4.

To reinforce the effectiveness of the information and communication system,
the ATM next year, is expected to operate the locally-created Unmanned Aerial
Vehicle (UAV) for surveillance of the country's waters.

Dr Ahmad Zahid when viewing a UAV demonstration here, expressed his
satisfaction over the performance of this aerial surveillance vehicle despite
room for some improvement.

He said the ATM would also have assault boats and other maritime equipment
logistics to boost its capability to ensure security at the waters off the Sabah
east coast.

Meanhwile, the chairman for the Semporna Fishermen Association, Salleh Abdul
Salleh, said measures taken by the government to ensure security in the said
waters have enabled the local fishermen to tap the vast resources available
there.

There are no more acts of piracy and this has boosted the fisheries
industry there, like aquaculture farming, apart from making the area the largest
producer of seawood.

Semporna now produces some 700 tonnes of seaweed a month apart from 100
tonnes of fish a month and this has benefitted the livelihood of people in
Semporna where many have climbed out from the hardcore poor bracket.

"We owe a lot to the Fisheries Development Authority Malaysia (LKIM) and
Fisheries Department for assisting to boost the economy of the fishermen
estimated to number 3,000," he said.

Minister in the Sabah Chief Minister's Department Datuk Nasir Tun Sakaran
said the security enjoyed by people in Semporna is due to the continuous
measures deployed by the government.

He said the freedom from subversive activities like piracy has enabled
Semporna people to go anywhere and do whatever they like.

"Before, visitors refrained from coming to Semporna as the district was
unsafe in terms of security.

"Now the people are free from threat. They can seek their livelihood
anywhere, either at sea or on land," he said.

The presence of tourists from Europe, United States, Japan, South Korea,
Taiwan and other countries at the beautiful islands off Semporna indicated that
they are confident with the security in Malaysian waters.
-- BERNAMA