By Olivia Miwil
KOTA KINABALU: The travel advisory for Eastern Sabah has been lowered to Level 1, according to Chargé d'affaires of the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, David "Chip" Gamble.
"I encourage Americans and other travellers to check out our updated US travel advisory for Eastern Sabah, which is now at Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions).
"This change reflects our assessment that the security situation n Eastern Sabah has been improving for years," he said in a statement.
Gamble, however, said the advisory remains at Level 2, which is "Exercise Increased Caution", for the islands and maritime areas off the coast of Eastern Sabah.
The US government had issued the travel advisories following kidnapping incidents on the east coast of Sabah.
Following the Lahad Datu intrusion in 2013, the Malaysian government established the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) to curb piracy and strengthen security enforcement.
Last year, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and Sabah Tourism Board chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai conducted a site visit to Semporna's islands with a delegation of foreign diplomats and officials.
Other districts include Sandakan, Kunak, Beluran, Kinabatangan, Tongod, and Tawau.
Tourist arrivals to Sabah's east coast have more than quadrupled since 2022. Official figures show 64,470 tourist arrivals in 2022, which jumped to 313,128 in 2023 and reached 319,479 by the end of May 2024.
Meanwhile, Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin said the ministry respected the sovereign right of any country to issue travel guidance based on its internal assessments.
"However, we also wish to emphasise that the security situation in Eastern Sabah has significantly improved and remained stable for several years.
"There have been no kidnap-for-ransom incidents in Sabah's east coast waters since January 2020, when criminal elements linked to Abu Sayyaf were last reported in the region."
He added that security operations led by Esscom have been consistently strengthened through coordinated patrols, enhanced maritime surveillance, and close cooperation among Malaysian security agencies.
Tourism operators and island resorts in the region operate under strict safety protocols and continuous security monitoring.
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