THERE are important lessons to be learnt from the intrusion by Sulu armed terrorists in the East Coast of Sabah which resulted in an armed conflict between our security forces and the gunmen.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib’s frank admission that “it was a wake-up call” speaks volumes about how vulnerable Malaysia can be to an external threat and why it is important for the Government and the people not to take safety for granted.
We have been blessed with peace and stability all this while and this intrusion by armed terrorists from a foreign country took us by complete surprise.
Questions are still being asked as to why it is taking place now and over a ludicrous claim over Sabah by the armed terrorists.
Steps are now being taken to beef up security in the East Coast of Sabah to boost our military’s capability in terms of its equipment, training, skills and intelligence.
Measures are also in place to establish the Eastern Sabah Security Commend (ESSOM) to deal with future security threats. Six new police stations will also be built there.
What I would like to see is not only the safety aspect but more importantly the spirit of patriotism which must be reinforced at all times.
It is a crisis that puts the patriotism of Malaysians to the test.
Instead of rallying behind our security forces, there are some who choose to belittle and make insensitive remarks about our courageous men who are risking their lives to defend and protect the honour, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Malaysia.
I suggest that a Bernama documentary about the Sabah intrusion by the Sulu terrorists be not only shown on our TV channels but be made available to all schools so that our younger generation will understand about this intrusion and why it is important to appreciate the sacrifices of our security forces in defending the sovereignty of our country.
It will also help to build patriotism among our younger generation and make them realise the importance of peace, harmony and unity in our beloved country.
TAN SRI LEE LAM THYE
Trustee 1 Malaysia Foundation
Wednesday March 20, 2013
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