Media Centre in Felda Sahabat Shut Down Today

LAHAD DATU (April 14, 2013): The media centre in Felda Sahabat which operated for almost two months following the intrusion by militants from southern Philippines was shut down today.

The 24-hour centre had provided computers, internet and printing facilities to over 100 journalists and photographers working throughout Ops Daulat.

Sabah Information Department public relations officer, Mohd Kaya Ijjoh said the media centre was closed following an announcement on the end of Ops Daulat.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced that Ops Daulat would end in a few days after it began on March 5 to resolve the intrusion in Sabah's east coast.

Najib said the police and army operations following the incident would continue under the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM).

Meanwhile, Defence Ministry's Corporate Communications Unit media officer, Lt Mohd Hafiz Mohamed Sabilan said the ministry would still operate from the media centre to help journalists cover the situation.

"When the situation was tense, media personnel had wanted to enter the red zone but were not allowed to.

"Only the army's media personnel were allowed to take photographs and distribute them to the mainstream media," he said. – Bernama