ESSCom plans to use app to track safety of tourists - Commander

LAHAD DATU - The Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) plans to use an application to ensure the safety of tourists in the Eastern Sabah Safety Zone (ESSZone).

ESSCom Commander DCP Victor Sanjos said the application, which will be coordinated with the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry will make it easier for ESSCom to track the movement of tourists to provide protection if required.

He said there are developed countries that have used applications like this to ensure the safety of tourists entering the country, where every tourist entering will be scanned through the security application in their respective mobile phone.

"Tourists are the main assets in the ESSZone, the influx of tourists benefits the economy in terms of demand for resorts, hotels, transport and restaurants. So, to ensure they are safe we (ESSCom) have to know their movements.

"(When) They come in, we scan their mobile phones, so we know their movements and we can send our assets to survey and guarantee their safety,” he said after the ESSCom shooting competition with ESSZone media practitioners here today.

Victor said 54,795 tourists visited the ESSZone area in the first seven months of this year, compared to 31,619 in the same period last year, which goes to show that tourists are increasingly confident of the level of security in the ESSZone.

He said the use of high-tech security assets, such as the proposed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) recommended by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor recently, should be realised to increase the level of security in the ESSZone.

"This is important because the use of high-tech can speed up information in the field and to quickly relay instructions to the assets on the ground, which means no time wasted in executing action,” he said.

Commenting on the allocation of RM40 million for ESSCom to upgrade infrastructure including living quarters recently announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, he said an area survey has been carried out to purchase housing facilities for civil servants staff and ESSCom security personnel in Lahad Datu.

"This is to ensure that those assigned for duty in ESSCom will come with a high commitment and not worry about housing or posting,” he said while expressing his gratitude to the prime minister for focusing on ESSCom. - BERNAMA