Malaysia-Indonesia Cross-Border Governance: Is There a Trade-off between Security and Economic Development?

The National Security Council of Malaysia has declared the east coast of Sabah as the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZONE) to inhibit security threats and enhance security in the east coast of Sabah. This study employed an in-depth interview with the stakeholders involved in security governance and...

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Main Authors: Abdul Rahim Anuar, Azhar Harun
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: UUM Press 2019-09-01
Series:Journal of International Studies
Subjects:
Online Access:http://e-journal.uum.edu.my/index.php/jis/article/view/jis2019.15.2
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author Abdul Rahim Anuar
Azhar Harun
author_facet Abdul Rahim Anuar
Azhar Harun
author_sort Abdul Rahim Anuar
collection DOAJ
description The National Security Council of Malaysia has declared the east coast of Sabah as the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZONE) to inhibit security threats and enhance security in the east coast of Sabah. This study employed an in-depth interview with the stakeholders involved in security governance and development in the study area. The selection of stakeholders was based on expert sampling. Secondary data relating to maritime economic activities were also used to reinforce the findings of the in-depth interview. The study areas were Tawau (Sabah) and Sebatik Island. Sebatik Island is divided into two regions; the northern region is owned by Malaysia and the south is owned by Indonesia. This paper examined the impact of ESSZONE’s security policy toward economic activities in Tawau and Sebatik Island. The security policy implemented by the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) in Sabah’s east coast has a negative impact on maritime economic activities in Tawau and Pulau Sebatik. Therefore, the government must re-evaluate the security measures in Tawau and Pulau Sebatik waters, and the curfew regulations in particular, because the security threat is lower and more manageable than in Sandakan, Tawau, Kunak, Lahad Datu, Semporna, and Kinabatangan, which form the hot spot area. Furthermore, the government should consider appropriate measures to balance the objectives of security and economic interests, depending on the level of security threat zones.
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spelling doaj.art-01494d96c81c4f4190c59b23ebdd80012022-12-22T03:55:48ZengUUM PressJournal of International Studies1823-691X2019-09-0115213410.32890/jis2019.15.2Malaysia-Indonesia Cross-Border Governance: Is There a Trade-off between Security and Economic Development?Abdul Rahim Anuar0Azhar Harun1School of International Studies, Universiti Utara Malaysia, MalaysiaSchool of Government, Universiti Utara Malaysia, MalaysiaThe National Security Council of Malaysia has declared the east coast of Sabah as the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZONE) to inhibit security threats and enhance security in the east coast of Sabah. This study employed an in-depth interview with the stakeholders involved in security governance and development in the study area. The selection of stakeholders was based on expert sampling. Secondary data relating to maritime economic activities were also used to reinforce the findings of the in-depth interview. The study areas were Tawau (Sabah) and Sebatik Island. Sebatik Island is divided into two regions; the northern region is owned by Malaysia and the south is owned by Indonesia. This paper examined the impact of ESSZONE’s security policy toward economic activities in Tawau and Sebatik Island. The security policy implemented by the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) in Sabah’s east coast has a negative impact on maritime economic activities in Tawau and Pulau Sebatik. Therefore, the government must re-evaluate the security measures in Tawau and Pulau Sebatik waters, and the curfew regulations in particular, because the security threat is lower and more manageable than in Sandakan, Tawau, Kunak, Lahad Datu, Semporna, and Kinabatangan, which form the hot spot area. Furthermore, the government should consider appropriate measures to balance the objectives of security and economic interests, depending on the level of security threat zones.http://e-journal.uum.edu.my/index.php/jis/article/view/jis2019.15.2economic developmentsebatik islandtawautrade-offsecurity
spellingShingle Abdul Rahim Anuar
Azhar Harun
Malaysia-Indonesia Cross-Border Governance: Is There a Trade-off between Security and Economic Development?
Journal of International Studies
economic development
sebatik island
tawau
trade-off
security
title Malaysia-Indonesia Cross-Border Governance: Is There a Trade-off between Security and Economic Development?
title_full Malaysia-Indonesia Cross-Border Governance: Is There a Trade-off between Security and Economic Development?
title_fullStr Malaysia-Indonesia Cross-Border Governance: Is There a Trade-off between Security and Economic Development?
title_full_unstemmed Malaysia-Indonesia Cross-Border Governance: Is There a Trade-off between Security and Economic Development?
title_short Malaysia-Indonesia Cross-Border Governance: Is There a Trade-off between Security and Economic Development?
title_sort malaysia indonesia cross border governance is there a trade off between security and economic development
topic economic development
sebatik island
tawau
trade-off
security
url http://e-journal.uum.edu.my/index.php/jis/article/view/jis2019.15.2
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AT azharharun malaysiaindonesiacrossbordergovernanceisthereatradeoffbetweensecurityandeconomicdevelopment