Prime Minister Najib Razak's cabinet must take part of the blame for the Semporna kidnapping for repeatedly ignoring appeals for more security resources.

Tamparuli assemblyperson Wilfred Bumburing said he has learned of "repeated requests" by the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) for reinforcement but the federal government had dallied on the matter.

"(These) ... including the deployment of additional manpower and more assets have received lukewarm response from the authorities, and the federal government seemed to be dragging their feet on their legitimate request," Bumburing said in a statement today.

He cited news reports of Esscom director-general Mohammad Mentek repeatedly requesting for additional security forces manpower and assets such as boats, speedboats or even pump boats to secure the islands around Semporna.

"And, only recently, the Public Services Department (PSD) officers visited some of the resort islands in Semporna to see for themselves the situation on the ground, and until now there is still no firm commitment to the request," he added.

Bumburing slammed the government for not being serious in securing the Sabah maritime border.

BN MPs in the region, particularly Kalabakan MP Ghapur Salleh, were also to blame for not pressuring Putrajaya for the much needed resources, he added.

'No permanent security presence'

Bumburing said based on feedback from resort operators, there appeared to be patrol vessels permanently posted in the vicinity of some of the resort islands.

"For example, there seemed to be no security boat permanently stationed in Mataking island, the last eastern-most island in the Semporna district bordering international waters.

"How do we expect our security forces there to be able to immediately intercept or pursue the elusive kidnappers' boat without any boat of their own?

"Definitely,  we can't ask them to swim in pursuit!" he said.

This lack of security presence encourages potential kidnappers, he said.

The structure of Esscom was also problematic and there was little coordination among the various units and departments involved.

"The entire Esscom structure should be such that the various units and departments under Esscom should carry out joint intelligence networks, as well as a joint chain of command involving the police, navy, air force as well as other units in the military service.

"Right now there are none. Every unit functions individually," said Bumburing.

Esscom appeared to be nothing more than a "think-tank body" to coordinate the various units.

"Esscom should be given more authority in order to function effectively," he said.

'State assembly must discuss'

On April 2, armed men kidnapped Chinese tourist Gao Hua Yuan, 29, and Filipino resort worker Marcy Dayawan, 40, from the Singamata Resort off Semporna.

The duo are reportedly unharmed and being held in an island in Southern Philippines and have communicated with the police several times.

According to The Star , the police are also trying to establish if the Filipino worker is linked to the kidnapping as her background "is still vague" and her family members are being questioned.

This is the second kidnapping in the region since Esscom was set up after the high profile armed incursion in February 2013.

In a separate statement today, Bumburing said he supports any motion to discuss the kidnapping at the forthcoming state assembly session.

"I understand from the papers that Sri Tanjung assemblyperson Chan Foong Hin has applied to move an emergency motion during the coming assembly session to discuss the Singamata abduction incident.

"He can count me in to support this motion."