PKR's Penampang MP Darell Leiking has urged that perpetrators of kidnappings in Sabah be shot or maimed.

"I urge the authorities to show the seriousness in dealing with this crime by immediately reviewing the loopholes and security strategy and to issue an order to shoot to kill or to maim these kidnappers so that fear will come to the hearts and souls of these evil criminals who cross our border and sovereignty," he said in a statement today.

Darell's statement was in response to the kidnapping of four Malaysians off the coast of Semporna last night.

The incident occurred near Pulau Ligitan, Semporna, with eight armed men boarding the Masfive 6 ship and taking away with them four men aged between 21 and 34.

The Malaysians were on board the ship which was on its way back from transporting timber from Malaysia to Manila.

Darell said his concern and sympathy is with the family of the four kidnapped men, describing it as an "evil act" and an "act of war".

"If the kidnappers were Philippine nationals, it is incumbent upon the prime minister to immediately act by calling on his counterpart in the Philippines to condemn this act of aggression against our citizens and the nation and for the Philippine police, navy, and military to act to apprehend these kidnappers who are obviously brutal criminals," he said.

He also lamented that the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) remains ineffective despite hundreds of millions in expenditure.

"These kidnappers have again shown how easy it is for them to breach and insult our security measures.

"This latest of many incidents which have already happened now adds fuels and fear over how safe we are, especially since the home minister had already announced a few weeks back that every district in Sabah is now unsafe with Sulu commanders or sleeper cells who are our real and present danger to date," he said.

Darell urged Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman to call an emergency meeting together with the federal government to discuss the kidnapping.

Sabah has seen increased incidences of abduction since the government put down an incursion by Sulu fighters in Lahad Datu in 2012.

The Sulu fighters had launched their attack from Southern Philippines, laying claim to Sabah.

Several kidnappings in recent years were likewise carried out through swift incursions from the Southern Philippines into Sabah.