Malaysian security forces foiled an attempt by a group of foreigners to intrude into Sabah waters two weeks ago, said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar.

He said this was due to quick action by the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), Malaysian Armed Forces and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency in foiling the attempt.

"Although we know there was an attempt by our enemies (to intrude) two weeks ago, Alhamdulillah (praise be to Allah) we managed to foil it," he said at a news conference, here, Friday.

Sabah had previously seen intrusion by foreign militants in Lahad Datu in February last year in which eight members of the police force and two soldiers were killed in the shooting incidents.

"The recent killing-cum-kidnapping incident in Pulau Pom-Pom in Semporna, Sabah is also a lesson for the our security forces to raise security level in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone)," he said.

Khalid was referring to the incident on Nov 15, 2013 in which a 57-year-old male Taiwanese tourist was found dead with bullet wounds on his body at a holiday resort on the island.

The man's female companion, aged 58, was kidnapped by a group of armed men before she was rescued on Dec 20 by Philippine security forces.

Meanwhile, Khalid said the "Operasi Gasak" carried out in the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) area of jurisdiction with the involvement of the PDRM "Ops Cantas" special team would be intensified in facing the threat of intrusion.

He said all security surveillance and control carried out in Sabah would be reported back to the federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman to facilitate any action plan to deal with certain cases.