ENHANCING SECURITY
In February 2013, Lahad Datu gained worldwide attention due to
the incursion of Sulu militants at Kampung Tanduo, situated 130 km
from the main town. The government established the Eastern Sabah
Security Command (ESSCOM) headquarter in Lahad Datu, further
enhancing the security.
However, in November 2013 tragedy struck again. A Taiwanese tourist
was shot dead and his wife was kidnapped when gunmen raided a
resort in Pulau Pom Pom in Semporna.
According to ESSCOM Director-General Datuk Mohammad Mentek,
the incident in Semporna which occurred in one of the 10 districts
put under the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (Esszone), was an isolated
case perpetrated by criminals.
Heavy development scene at the southern corridor of Kota Kinabalu City
As such, Mohammad said foreign tourists should not be unduly
worried as places of interest in the east coast of Sabah, including
island resorts were well-guarded by l