RM646m military camp to strengthen LD | Daily Express Online
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A RM646 million military camp to bolster LD
Published on: Saturday January 15, 2022
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Hishammuddin was attending a briefing at Joint Task Force 2, Kukusan Camp, Tawau.
TAWAU: A military camp costing RM646.15 million will be constructed at Felda Sahabat, Lahad Datu this year to further enhance security and defense in Sabah. Defense Minister Dato Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said it would increase the level of capability and readiness of the army. address current threats while further enhancing the level of security on the East Coast. Speaking at a press conference during his working visit to Joint Task Force 2, Camp Kukusan on Friday, he said he would meet with his Indonesian and Filipino counterparts on January 27, to revitalize and strengthen at new mechanism of the Trilateral Cooperation Agreement (TCA).
He hopes that the cooperation between these three countries (Malaysia-Indonesia-Philippines) can strengthen the security patrols in the Sulu Sea and the Sulawesi Sea. He said the opposition should not distort issues such as no military camp on the east coast, shortage of assets, etc., which have caused confusion among the people. “They should become a responsible opposition and not threaten the people with unproven and baseless information,” he said. He said no new kidnappings were recorded in Sabah’s Eastern Security Zone (Esszone) throughout 2021. Philippine and Indonesian Defense Ministers later,” he said.
“Construction of the camp would see the establishment of a new army brigade with an infantry battalion troop with the aim of further improving the army’s capability and readiness to deal with threats. current,” he said. “Last year, with the collaboration of the police and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), we successfully seized drugs worth RM3.34 million, cigarettes from contraband and controlled items (RM1.38 million), arrest 154 illegal immigrants and seize 393 boats. and there have been no new reports of kidnappings on the east coast of Sabah,” he said. Further, he said that currently, eight battalions provide security to the east coast of Sabah, where four battalions are operational and four others are on standby to deal with any possible threat. “Under the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN), we have deployed 2,419 officers and members to Naval Bases Teluk Sepanggar and KD Sri Semporna, in addition to having standby assets including four patrol boat units, two fast attack craft and two submarines to protect the sovereignty of Sabah waters.” As for the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), a total of 1,283 officers and members are based in Labuan and always ready to be deployed with nine Hawk fighter aircraft units, four EC 725 helicopter units and one C130 unit,” he said.
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He said that although currently more than 8,000 members of the Malaysian Armed Forces are stationed in the state at any one time, there is no reason to be complacent as much more needs to be done for the safety of Sabah and the people. .
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