KOTA KINABALU, Feb 22 — Sabah’s tourism operators are unhappy with the terror alert reportedly raised last week to travellers from the UK, Australia and New Zealand, saying the warning does not reflect the situation on the ground.
Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) inbound vice president Datuk Tan Kok Liang said that the alert was based on a kidnapping incident in May last year but terrorism was a global threat not exclusive to the state.
“The advisory is to instill inflated and perceived fears into visitors to Sabah. But crime and terrorism can happen anywhere and anytime. It is a global issue and not exclusive to Sabah.
“For example, a group of terrorists killed 130 people and injured another 368 in Paris last November but there was no travel advisory against visiting France or the capital city, and rightly so,” he said adding that Paris recovered from the incident soon after.
Tan also noted that Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) Commander Datuk Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid and Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun had both reassured the public that Sabah’s east coast was safe.
He even offered to host those issuing such travel advisories, saying they could then report back to their home countries the actual situation in Sabah.
“Any misinformation or false reporting must be corrected before they are accepted as facts if repeated often.
“I am prepared to host the stay for those issuing travel advisories so that they can report on the actual safety and security situation, instead of cooking up fear and frightening tourists away from the safe havens of Sabah,” he said.
The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office last week reportedly raised the terrorism threat level for the eastern coastal islands of Sabah bordering the Philippines from “general” to “high”.
Travellers were advised against all but essential travel to all islands off the coast of eastern Sabah, including Lankayan, Mabul, Pom Pom Kapalai, Litigan, Sipadan and Mataking. The islands are known for their beautiful beaches and superior diving.
The advisory stated that the islands had “a high threat from terrorism”, with a warning that “attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners.”
Aside from the UK, Australia and New Zealand also warns its citizens against traveling to the islands for similar reasons.
Speaking to Malay Mail Online, Tan said that they have yet to receive any cancellations since the terror alert was revised, and tourists were still coming into Sabah.
“People, especially FITs, are still coming, they are used to government advisories,” he said, referring to the industry acronym for Free Independent Travellers, or those who book their trips individually.
A tour operator in Semporna, who declined to be named said that business has improved again after suffering from the string of kidnappings.
“I think the presence of security personnel on the islands help instill a lot of confidence but many say that the travel advisory does mean that obtaining insurance for their travel here becomes much more costly,” he said.
“It is quite unfair of them to make the assumption that it is unsafe when other places in the world have suffered far worse incidents than this,” he said.
The Star reported that Sabah Association of Tour and Travel Agents chairman Datuk Seri Winston Liaw saying that present room occupancy rates was between 90 and 100 per cent in hotels, which was proof of tourists’ confidence in the state.
“In France and Thailand, there have been several terrorist attacks involving casualties, but there was no alert issued. Why pick on Sabah?” he said.
Masidi was recently reported saying that said the travel advisory was Britain’s prerogative but maintained that the area was safe especially with the implementation of sea curfew and round-the-clock surveillance by Esscom.
