Kuala lumpur:<Text>

Several countries have downgraded their travel advisories for the east coast of Sabah from level three to level two, as announced by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan. This shift indicates a renewed confidence in the security conditions of the area, previously marred by kidnapping-for-ransom incidents.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohamad highlighted the positive impact of the government's security measures, including efforts by the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM), the police, and the Ministry of Defence. These measures have resulted in a significant reduction in security incidents over the past four to five years, encouraging countries to reevaluate their travel advisories. Previously, about 25 countries had issued level three advisories, advising against travel to Sabah due to security concerns.

The Foreign Minister elaborated during a session in the Dewan Rakyat, responding to a query from Datuk Verdon Bahanda (Inde pendent-Kudat) on government efforts to amend the travel advisory status. He noted that this development has positively impacted the tourism sector, with foreign tourist arrivals rising by 18.9 percent, particularly from Japan and South Korea.

In response to a supplementary question from Verdon regarding the complete lifting of the travel advisory, Mohamad emphasized continued engagement by the government with the relevant countries. The Foreign Ministry, Home Ministry, and Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry are working collaboratively to reinforce confidence in the security situation along Sabah's east coast. This includes discussions during bilateral or multilateral meetings and initiatives to bring foreign representatives to the area, demonstrating that the security situation has stabilized.