Cabaran mengenai isu keselamatan sempadan di zon ESSCOM: Analisis sejauh mana kesannya terhadap ekonomi dan pembangunan Sabah (Challenges of border security issues in ESSCOM zone: An Analysis of the extent of its impact on Sabah's economy and development)
Abstract
Keselamatan sempadan memainkan peranan penting dalam mengekalkan kedaulatan dan kestabilan negara, terutamanya di Sabah, di mana terdapat banyak ancaman keselamatan bukan tradisional. Tujuan kajian ini adalah untuk mengenal pasti halangan keselamatan sempadan di Zon Keselamatan Timur Sabah (ESSZONE) dan menilai sejauh mana halangan dan cabaran ini memberi kesan kepada kemajuan ekonomi negeri. Kajian mendapati bahawa ancaman seperti penculikan untuk wang tebusan (KFR), keganasan, dan penyeludupan telah menjejaskan kepercayaan pelabur dan industri pelancongan. Ini ditunjukkan melalui pendekatan kualitatif dan analisis dokumen dalam kajian ini. Walau bagaimanapun, penubuhan ESSCOM telah meningkatkan keselamatan dengan merekodkan tiada kes KFR sejak 2020. Kejayaan ini seterusnya telah menggalakkan pertumbuhan besar dalam industri pelancongan, yang dijangka menerima 4 juta pelancong pada tahun 2026. Selain itu, analisis keruangan bagi profil risiko di kawasan Utara (Kudat) dan Selatan (Tawau) menunjukkan wilayah tersebut memerlukan pendekatan penguatkuasaan yang berbeza. Kesimpulannya, untuk menjamin kestabilan jangka panjang di kawasan tersebut, strategi keselamatan yang mampan mesti menggabungkan penguatkuasaan undang-undang yang ketat dengan usaha pembangunan sosioekonomi.
Kata kunci: Analisis ruang, ancaman transnasional, ESSCOM, keselamatan sempadan, Sabah
Border security plays a vital role in maintaining the sovereignty and stability of the country, especially in Sabah, where there are many non-traditional security threats. The purpose of this study was to assess the border security barriers in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZONE) and assess the extent to which these barriers and challenges impact the state’s economic progress. The study reveals that threats such as kidnapping for ransom (KFR), terrorism, and smuggling have undermined investor confidence and the tourism industry. This was demonstrated through a qualitative approach and document analysis in this study. However, the establishment of ESSCOM has improved security with no KFR cases recorded since 2020. This success has in turn encouraged significant growth in the tourism industry, which is expected to receive 4 million tourists by 2026. In addition, spatial analysis of the risk profiles in the North (Kudat) and South (Tawau) regions shows that the regions require different enforcement approaches. In conclusion, to ensure long-term stability in the region, a sustainable security strategy must combine strict law enforcement with socio-economic development efforts.
Keywords: Spatial analysis, transnational threats, ESSCOM, border security, Sabah
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