KL to ask U.S. to retract warnings

KL to ask U.S. to retract warnings

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysia will ask the United States to
retract a warning to Americans against visiting resort islands
off the eastern state of Sabah, Tourism Minister Abdul Kadir
Sheikh Fazdir said on Monday.

Abdul Kadir said he would soon contact U.S. ambassador Lynn
Pascoe to explain that the islands are safe.

"I'll also invite him to visit Sabah to see for himself the
situation here, with all expenses paid by the Malaysian
government," he told reporters in the Sabah state capital Kota
Kinabalu.

"Actually, Sabah is a safe destination for tourists," Bernama
news agency quoted the minister as saying. Abu Sayyaf kidnappers
from the southern Philippines grabbed foreign and Malaysian
hostages last year in raids on Sipadan and Pandanan islands.

Last week the U.S. State Department warned its citizens to
take "extreme caution" when visiting the islands and nearby areas
on the mainland. It said the Abu Sayyaf "remains a security
threat" to parts of Sabah.