Gunmen have abducted two fish farm workers from the island of Borneo today in the most recent kidnapping in the region in spite of tightened security, according to Malaysian police.

This was the third kidnapping incident in Malaysia's state of Sabah since April and it brought to light the constant security threats in the area despite stricter security measures.

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Sabah, which can be reached via a short boat ride from the southern part of the Philippines, is a place infested by Muslim militants and kidnap-for-ransom groups, Today Online reported.

According to an online report by The Star, an English-language news agency, two Filipino gunmen seized a 32-year-old Malaysian fish breeder and a Filipino worker from a farm. The kidnapped victims are believed to have been transported to the southern Philippines via speed boat, but the Filipino worker had reportedly jumped off the boat to escape from the abductors.

Sabah police chief Hamza Taib sent a text message in response to a query by The Associated Press confirming the kidnapping incident. He added that they will release more details later on.

This most recent kidnapping incident comes on the heels of abduction in Malaysia in April. A Chinese tourist and a Filipino resort employee have been taken from a Sabah resort and have just been released.

In November 2013, suspected Filipino insurgents shot dead a Taiwanese tourist and kidnapped his wife from another resort in Sabah and only released her after a month. Authorities did not confirm if a ransom had been paid, but this is usually what happens.

The kidnappings have crippled the tourism industry in Sabah, which is a popular vacation and diving destination for foreigners. Last month, the government of Sabah had implemented curfew and travel restrictions in some areas to boost security.

The Abu Sayyaf operates from the southern region of the Philippines and has links to Al-Qaida and other international terrorist groups. In recent years, the US has supported a Philippine military crackdown that has weakened the group considerably.

For now, the militant group composed of 300 fighters is now focused on kidnap-for-ransom operations.