KUCHING: The State Security and Enforcement Unit (Unit Keselamatan Dan Penguatkuasaan Negeri — UKPN) has been largely involved in the prevention of illegal logging in the state over the past three years.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said the unit had also been involved in preventing illegal sand dredging, ensuring food security, carrying out physical security activities, creating awareness and training of Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) across Sarawak and various other major awareness programmes and training courses across the state.
“The year 2019 has been a good year for the unit though it is a young, repurposed organisation. It has striven to become an important organisation entrusted with the duty to protect the state’s interest and safeguard its security,” he said in a special address regarding the unit’s third anniversary.
Abang Johari said the unit had opened 25 investigation papers, seized about 6,000 logs, 13 heavy machines and three lorries that led to 76 people being charged in court.
“I believe this exercise has significantly impacted and reduced illegal logging activities in the Batang Rajang Basin.
“The Ops Jongkong covering mainly the Batang Rajang area is a good example of a well-conducted operation to thwart unlawful extraction of timber that can lead to environmental degradation and loss of state revenue,” he said.
He, therefore, congratulated and thanked everyone for their hard work and dedication, and he looked forward to see the unit achieve major success in the years ahead under a strong leadership with the noble aim of providing services of the highest quality as a security arm of the Sarawak government.
“On top of the success in its security functions, the unit is also giving due emphasis to its human capital training and development to upgrade its officer’ skills and competency,” he said.
He said the unit’s officers were required to undergo various types of training programmes to enhance their decision-making skills and improve their performance in the discharge of their duties.
“To further upgrade competency, the command training course is very much in order to give officers better grasp of the finer points of imparting effective command during operations as well as improving their leadership skills particularly when its collaborations and operations with other agencies become necessary in the future,” he stressed.
Abang Johari expressed his hope that the new officers could adapt well and fast to the organisation’s work culture and values that should course be aligned with the aim of Sarawak’s civil servants providing world class service to the state and its people.
“Once again on the occasion of the unit’s third anniversary, I express my appreciation for and gratitude to all of you as members of the organisation for your dedication to serve with honour to safeguard the state’s security and well-being of its people,” he said.
