SANDAKAN: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) stated that the Malaysian government consistently observes travel advisories released by foreign governments concerning Malaysia.
These travel advisories are standard practice aimed at ensuring the safety of their citizens planning to visit a particular country.
However, updates to these travel advisories by foreign nations are conducted periodically, based on assessments of the current situation and the security level of the respective country.
Currently, several countries maintain travel advisories for their citizens, particularly regarding the East Coast of Sabah, considering the security situation as evaluated by those nations over time.
This includes the curfew in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZONE), which has now been rebranded as the Movement Control Order (MCO) ESSZONE, effective from October 17, 2023, from 6 PM to 6 AM.
Senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with foreign representatives in Malaysia, also engaged in meetings and discussions to tackle a range of important issues.
These include bilateral, regional, and multilateral topics, as well as security concerns. The ministry highlighted that they also address travel advisories issued by other countries, as stated in a written response to a parliamentary inquiry from Sandakan MP Vivian Wong Shir Yee.
Earlier, during a parliamentary debate, Vivian Wong enquired about the current travel advisory level for the East Coast of Sabah, which includes the districts of Kudat, Pitas, Beluran, Sandakan, Kinabatangan, Lahad Datu, Kunak, and Tawau, as assessed by foreign nations and tourists.
For countries that continue to issue travel advisories that do not reflect the current situation, senior officials from Malaysia will request updates to these advisories or, preferably, their complete removal.
