LAHAD DATU, Sept 29 — Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the federal government is very committed to assist Sabah draw in one million tourists from China.

As such, he said that the federal government through the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) was constantly doing comprehensive analysis on the security level in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (Esszone) to ensure that the zone is safe for tourists.

He said currently the security situation in the Esszone was very good as a result of the concerted actions taken by the Royal Malaysia Police, Malaysian Armed Forces and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency.

"The Sabah Chief Minister (Tan Sri Musa Aman) and the State Secretary  (Tan Sri Sukarti Wakiman) and all state government machineries have long term plans to achieve the goal (bring in one million tourists from China to Sabah).

"Obviously security is out top priority in asking tourists to come to Sabah which has great offerings like beaches, exotic islands, tropical forests and eco-tourism.

"So the role of Esscom, assisted by various security agencies is to provide the first line of control so as the ensure the security of all tourism destinations,” he told reporters after co-chairing the Esszone Advisory Board meeting with Musa here today.

Also present at the meeting were National Security Council director-general Gen (Rtd) Tan Sri Zulkifeli Mohd Zain, Sukarti, ATM Headquarters Chief of Staff Lt Jen Datuk Abdul Halim Jalal, Deputy Inspector- General of Police Tan Sri Noor Rashid Ibrahim, MMEA director-general Admiral Maritime Datuk Indera Zulkifili Abu Bakar, Sabah police commissioner Datuk Ramli Din and ESSCom commander Datuk Hazani Ghazali.    

For the same purpose, Ahmad Zahid, who is also Home Minister, said the 6pm-6am curfew in the 

Esszone would be continued until the security forces were fully confident there were no longer any security threats.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also the chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Tourism, said incentives offered by  the  government to encourage Chinese tourists to come to the country did not leave out Sabah, like the  e-visa and e-entry facilities, especially during the ’golden holiday period’.

According to him, other forms of support included cooperation with several low-cost carriers to bring in tourists from second tier cities in China direct to Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan and Tawau. — Bernama