In the aftermath of the abduction of four Malaysian sailors off the coast of Borneo, security analysts have warned that the authorities must act decisively to secure the waters shared by Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia, or they may become a base for terrorists and criminals.

Professor Rohan Gunaratna, head of the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research at S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), said the countries in the area have failed to understand and respond to the nature of the threat. “The Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) cannot stand alone as the problem is (a) transboundary (one). It must be understood it is one component in a broad security zone,” he was quoted as saying by the Malay Mail Online.

“The tri-border area between Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia is overrun with various criminal and terrorist elements,” he said, adding that a military solution was needed given the severity of the threat.