Sabah boosts security ahead of Saturday polls

Sabah police commissioner Hazani Ghazali says security in the state has been stepped up ahead of polling on Saturday to prevent any trouble by foreign parties including the possibility of kidnappings.

He said the security forces would ensure that such threats are neutralised.

“There have been attempts at kidnap (for ransom),” he told reporters during early voting at the state police headquarters in Kota Kinabalu today.

“We received this information from our Philippine counterparts – there were attempts (by criminals) there to come over to commit this crime.”

According to him, there were nine attempts by criminal groups from the Philippines since May to enter Sabah to commit acts of kidnap for ransom.

Two days ago, Hazani said, police received information that elements from a neighbouring country were planning to enter Sabah in large numbers to create trouble during polling on Saturday.