Eastern Sabah Security Zone

The Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZONE) is a security zone in the Malaysian state of Sabah that was launched by the Malaysian Prime Minister, Najib Razak on 25 March 2013 following the persistent attacks by pirates and militants from the southern Philippines that occurred in the eastern part of Sabah especially after the 2013 Lahad Datu standoff.[1] It includes the districts of Kudat, Kota Marudu, Pitas, Beluran, Sandakan, Kinabatangan, Lahad Datu, Kunak, Semporna and Tawau.[1][2] The Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) is the main enforcement authority for ESSZONE, chaired by Datuk Seri Musa Aman.[3][4] The Malaysian Government has embarked on a programme to significantly upgrade the land, sea and air defence capabilities of the Malaysian Armed Forces in ESSZONE.

  ESSZONE area.

Scope of works

Land
AV8 Gempita armoured fighting vehicle. 12 units are currently deployed in Tawau.

Police Force and Stations: Seven police stations will be established in the zone and five battalions of security forces with a General Operations Force (GOF) brigade will also be placed.[2][5][6] The government has also approved an initial allocation of RM200 million to build infrastructure.[7]

Infantry and New Base Camps: In October 2014, the Malaysian Government announced that ESSCOM will be given a budget allocation of RM660 million (USD200 million). Amongst other things, this will fund the addition of one battalion of the General Operations Force (GOF) and one battalion of the army with 1,280 personnel and the construction of two new base camps: the GOF 20th Battalion Camp in Beluran and the Malaysian Armed Forces Camp in Lahad Datu.

Mechanised Infantry: 18 ACV-300 Adnan infantry fighting vehicle have been deployed in Kota Belud and 12 AV8 Gempita armoured fighting vehicle are in Tawau. There are also AV4 Lipanbara armoured personnel carrier stationed in Sabah.[8][9] Up to 24 M109 howitzer (Paladin) are expected to be sent to Sabah, after a recent agreement with the United States to acquire 30 units of these self-propelled howitzers.[10]

Sea
PASKAL operatives are stationed at Lahad Datu.
PGK operators are stationed at forward operating bases in Mabul Island, Semporna and Banggi Island, Kudat.

Mobile Seabases: There are currently 2 mobile sea bases:

  1. The Bunga Mas Lima, which is an auxiliary support ship, has a crew of 70 and is equipped with interceptor boats and a helipad capable of handling large helicopters like the Eurocopter EC725. A PASKAL quick reaction force team is stationed on this ship[11][12][13]
  2. The Tun Azizan, a auxiliary vessel (named in honour of the late Tun Azizan Zainul Abidin, former President of Petronas) which was converted into a sea base ship. It has a crew of 99 and is equipped with accommodation facilities, an operations and communication room, air conditioning, fresh water system and military equipment.[14] The Tun Azizan is placed five nautical miles from the Southern Philippines to intercept, with its quick reaction forces, criminals attempting to escape to the Philippines.

Permanent Seabase: A decommissioned oil rig has been retrofitted into a permanent sea base, which is named after the late Tun Sharifah Rodziah, third wife of the late Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, the first Prime Minister of Malaysia.[15][16]

Island Forward Operating Bases: Two island forward operating bases are being set up in Pulau Mabul, Semporna and Pulau Banggi, Kudat. Costing RM25 million each, both bases will host quick reaction forces comprising 69 Commandos and UTK special operations force.[17]

Patrol Boats: Thirty new bullet-proof Rigid Hull Fender Boats, costing approximately RM50 million in total, have been in service in ESSZONE since mid-2014. These boats are equipped with advanced specifications and high-end systems, such as forward looking infra red (FLIR) night vision capabilities.[18][19] The marine police force will acquire a total of 200 boats in stages, with 100 already in service or on order as at September 2015.[20]

Air
A MD-530G Scout Attack Helicopter. Six have been purchased for the Malaysian Army Air Corp's use in ESSZONE.

Lahad Datu Airport: To provide better air logistical, surveillance and attack capabilities, the runway at the Lahad Datu airport will be upgraded to enable high-capacity aircraft to land. In addition, RM90 million helicopter forward operating base will be built which will have a shelter and apron capable of accommodating 6 helicopters. It will also serve as a transit and operational centre to support the armed forces in their operations, particularly those involving helicopters.[21]

Hawk Fighters: Five Hawk fighter jets have been based in Labuan.[22][23]

Attack Helicopters: Six armed scout attack helicopters, the MD-530G, will be delivered between Sept 2016 to March 2017. The Malaysian Army's Air Corp will be the launch customer of these new helicopters, which have a top speed of 240 km/h and will be installed with advanced avionics, forward looking infrared sensor, guided and unguided rockets, and inboard .50 caliber machine guns.[24]

Four S-70A Blackhawk helicopters will be transferred from the Royal Brunei Air Force to the Malaysian Armed Forces in November 2016, which Malaysia will update and weaponise before deploying to ESSZONE.[25]

Gatling Guns: 10 sets of M134D Hybrid Gatling Machine Guns will be purchased to arm helicopters.[26][27] In a January 2015 media statement, the Malaysian Defence Minister announced that five S-61A-4 Nuri helicopters have been fitted with Gatling guns and five Eurocopter EC725 were being fitted with FNMAG 58 7.62 mm general purpose machine guns.[28]

Others

Coastal Surveillance Systems (CSS) - A network of 13 radar coastal surveillance systems is being installed from Pulau Banggi to Tawau, with 8 already in operation. This network is controlled from the Armed Forces' joint base in Tawau.[29] Five state-of-the-art Airbus SPEXER 2000 Coastal radars, with an instrumented range of approximately 250 km, will be installed in 2016. These sophisticated radars are able to track very small and slowly moving objects such as swimmers and also fast objects such as speed boats.[30]

Aerostats - Floating balloon aerostats surveillance systems will be acquired to provide ESSZONE forces with 24/7 maritime domain awareness capability. Equipped with radar and Electro-Optical Infrared (EOIR) day/night cameras, these aerostats will enable the security forces to more quickly detect the small wooden boats used by criminals to travel into Sabah from the Southern Philippines.[31]

See also

References
  1. "PM Announces Setting Up Of Eastern Sabah Safety Zone". BERNAMA. 25 March 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  2. "Security area widened in east Sabah". New Straits Times. 26 March 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  3. "Pelantikan Pengerusi ESSZONE satu tanggungjawab besar: Musa". Berita Harian (in Malay). 26 March 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  4. "AG clears air on ESSZone, ESSCom confusion". The Borneo Insider. 3 April 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  5. "UPDATE : GOF brigade to be stationed at ESSZONE". New Straits Times. 25 March 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  6. "PM pantau ESSZONE". Harian Metro (in Malay). 26 March 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  7. "RM200m for ESSZONE". New Straits Times. 28 March 2013. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  8. "ESSZone beefed up with new military assets". The Sun. 25 January 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  9. "Majalah 3 - AV8 Gempita Tentera Darat". Youtube. 3 March 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  10. Marhalim Abas (2 March 2016). "Army 83rd Birthday". Malaysian Defence. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  11. "Bunga Mas Lima sails to ESSZone". Malaysian Defence. 12 July 2014. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  12. "Navy ship to be sea base". The Star. 23 January 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  13. "Kapal Laut Bunga Mas Lima KABM5 Sedia Digerakkan Ke Kawasan Esszone Sabah". Youtube. 25 January 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  14. "Ship to strengthen defence on Sabah's Esszone, says IGP". Rentaka. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  15. "Hishammuddin to visit two key security posts in Sabah". New Straits Times. 12 October 2015. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
  16. "Gunman involved in Semporna shoot-out with Esscom forces arrested". The Star. 2 July 2015. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
  17. "IGP: Forward operating bases will boost Sabah security". Free Malaysia Today. 18 April 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  18. "30 boats to beef up east coast security". The Borneo Post. 30 May 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  19. "Sabah gets 30 bullet-proof, high-tech boats costing RM50.7 million". Daily Express. 30 May 2014. Archived from the original on 20 December 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  20. "Marine police get 200 more boats for ESSZone". Daily Express. 4 September 2015. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
  21. "PM: ESSCom, ESSZone has foiled many criminal acts". Free Malaysia Today. 28 May 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  22. "2015 budget: RM660m to strengthen ESSCom". New Straits Times. 10 October 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  23. "Security assets for Sabah increased, reveals Defence Minister". Kinabalu Today. 30 August 2015. Archived from the original on 24 April 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  24. "MD Helicopters to supply new MD 530G scout attack helicopters to Malaysia's Ministry of Defense". Vertical. 1 February 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  25. "Six new copters set to shore up surveillance in Sabah". The Star. 20 April 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  26. "Malaysian Army To Acquire Six Attack Helicopters For ESSZONE Operations". Bernama. 18 December 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  27. "Zahid: Attack helicopters to boost strike capabilities of security forces in Sabah's east coast". The Star. 8 May 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  28. Media Statement by YB. Dato' Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, Malaysian Minister of Defence on 23 Jan 2015
  29. "Esscom, ATM develops five new coastal surveillance system locations". 29 October 2015. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  30. "Airbus Defence and Space Delivers High-Performance Radar for Protection of Malaysian Coastlines". defence-aerospace.com. 17 December 2015. Archived from the original on 18 December 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  31. "Aerostats for ESSZone". Malaysia Defence. 30 October 2014. Archived from the original on 20 December 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
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