SANDAKAN: Fourteen foreign diplomatic representatives were taken on a firsthand tour of the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (Esszone) as Malaysia steps up efforts to encourage a review of longstanding travel advisories imposed following the 2013 Lahad Datu intrusion.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the joint security assessment allowed diplomats to independently evaluate the ground situation and convey factual information to their respective governments to boost local and international confidence.
The annual programme’s third edition hosted delegates from 11 foreign missions and entities, including the United Kingdom, United States, France, and the European Union (EU) delegation, with visits to operational islands such as Pulau Bakungan Kecil and Pulau Selingan alongside major local tourist attractions.
Highlighting a total of 129,492 tourist arrivals recorded in the Esszone as of June this year, Saifuddin added that Esscom security agencies performed 897,293 inspections over the same six-month period, leading to 307 arrests and RM23.37 million worth of seizures.
While respecting foreign nations' rights to issue travel advisories, Saifuddin noted the whole-of-government engagement initiative is yielding results, with countries such as Japan and Switzerland having already updated their travel advice for the area.
