Kudat:Kuala Lumpur The government is planning to enhance security at the Kudat maritime border in Sabah by acquiring artificial intelligence (AI)-powered radar and long-range cameras. These acquisitions are scheduled for 2028 under the Third Rolling Plan of the 13th Malaysia Plan, aiming to improve surveillance capabilities in the area.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah highlighted the need for continuous enforcement operations to prevent the entry of undocumented migrants through illegal routes. He pointed out that the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) has identified areas such as the waters off Kudat, Pulau Banggi, and Pulau Balambangan—facing Balabac Island in the Philippines—as requiring ongoing surveillance and enforcement due to their geographical features and potential for illegal activities.
During a Special Chamber session in the Dewan Rakyat, Shamsul Anuar addressed a motion by Riduan Rubin (Independent-Tenom) stressing the urgent need to bolster security along the Sabah-Philippines maritime border. He revealed that ESSCOM statistics indicated a 79.4 percent increase in the arrest of undocumented migrants in Kudat, with 122 people apprehended in 2025 compared to 68 in 2024.
In addition, the Marine Police Force Region 4 reported six cases involving 23 arrests in 2025, up from four cases in 2024. The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) recorded 30 cases with 91 foreign nationals arrested from 2025 to September 2026. Shamsul Anuar noted that these figures represent ongoing enforcement efforts but may not fully capture the total number of attempted incursions or reflect actual threat trends due to differing reporting scopes among agencies.
Efforts to combat smuggling have been strengthened through diplomatic channels and bilateral cooperation, including the ninth Malaysia-Philippines Joint Commission meeting in Manila and the Trilateral Cooperative Arrangement (TCA) involving Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Shamsul Anuar emphasized the importance of targeting syndicate networks organizing illegal activities, in addition to detaining individuals at the border.