MASIDI WANTS US TO EMULATE CANADA'S MOVE TO DROP TRAVEL ADVISORY TO SABAH'S EAST COAST

Masidi Wants US To Emulate Canada's Move To Drop Travel Advisory To Sabah's East Coast

KOTA KINABALU, July 15 (Bernama) -- Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun has called on the United States government to emulate Canada's move in taking down a notch on the travel advisory issued to its citizens heading to the islands off the east coast of Sabah.

He said there was no government in the world that guaranteed 100 per cent crime free and to say that Sabah was an exception because of the previous kidnapping incident in Sipadan Island in 2001 was not reflective of the situation on the ground.

"That sort of thing does not happen every day (in Sabah)," he told reporters after attending the Kota Kinabalu-level secondary school debating competition on energy efficiency at SESB Hall, near here today.

Masidi was asked to comment on the statement by Canadian High Commissioner to Malaysia Randolph Mank on the matter, here yesterday.

Randolph was quoted as saying that the revised travel advisory was issued a couple of months ago, as the situation on the ground there, including Sipadan Island where foreigners were kidnapped in the past, had improved.

As such, Masidi hoped that foreigners would not be traumatised by the kidnapping incident in Sipadan.

He said the security situation in Sabah, particularly in the east coast was good and the armed forces had done much to ensure the safety of everyone, including tourists visiting the state.

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“WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE US ISSUES SUCH AN ADVISORY ANNUALLY BUT OUR SECURITY REMAINS VERY TIGHT,”