Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10KUALALUMPUR43
2010-01-20 09:00:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Cable title:  

SABAH TRAVEL ALERT: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH MFA

Tags:  CT MY PGOV KTIP CASC 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO2697
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHKL #0043/01 0200900
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 200900Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3705
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 000043 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/20/2020
TAGS: CT MY PGOV KTIP CASC
SUBJECT: SABAH TRAVEL ALERT: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH MFA
DEPSECGEN

Classified By: Classified By: Ambassador James R. Keith for reasons 1.4
(b, d)

SUMMARY
-------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 000043

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/20/2020
TAGS: CT MY PGOV KTIP CASC
SUBJECT: SABAH TRAVEL ALERT: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH MFA
DEPSECGEN

Classified By: Classified By: Ambassador James R. Keith for reasons 1.4
(b, d)

SUMMARY
--------------


1. (C) In the absence of the Foreign Minister and Secretary
General, Deputy Secretary General I Radzi Rahman of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs requested a meeting with the
Ambassador on January 18 to discuss the Department's January
15 Travel Alert concerning parts of Sabah, Malaysia. Radzi
said he understood the USG's obligation to its citizens but
noted that Prime Minister Najib and other senior GOM
officials, as well as Sabahans, were concerned about the
Alert. Stating that the GOM had increased security in the
mentioned area, he requested that the Alert be reviewed and
rescinded if possible; MFA later released a press statement
to that effect. The Ambassador explained that the Embassy
had been in frequent consultation with elements of the GOM
regarding the threat to eastern Sabah, that the threat had
grown more serious, and emphasized the Mission's obligation
to provide clear information to American citizens. The
Ambassador proposed regular consultations with MFA and the
Home Affairs Ministry on security/CT issues. End Summary.

MFA REQUESTS MEETING
--------------

2. (SBU) The January 15 Travel Alert cautioning American
citizens about travel to "isolated areas of eastern Sabah
including Semporna and the islands of Mabul and Sipadan,"
garnered negative attention in the Malaysian press. Prime
Minister Najib Razak and Foreign Minister Anifah Aman were
both quoted in local press affirming that the area was safe
for travelers, and Minister of Rural and Regional Development
Shafie Apdal, a Parliamentarian from eastern Sabah, was
quoted over the weekend saying the Ambassador would be
summoned to discuss the issue. Other officials were
subsequently quoted in the press asserting that the GOM's
security stance in Sabah had been raised to the point where
the Alert was not needed. An editorial in the mainstream New
Straits Times on January 18 entitled "All Due Caution" cited
the 2000 kidnappings of tourists and noted the "geopolitical
realities" of the area, but suggested that increased security

presence in the area was sufficient to reassure tourists.


3. (C) On January 18, the Ambassador, accompanied by
PolCouns, met MFA's Deputy Secretary General I (Department of
Bilateral Politics and Economics),Radzi Abdul Rahman, who
was joined by Under Secretary for North American and European
Affairs Badruddin Abdul Rahman and a notetaker, North America
Division's Shazana Mochtar. The tone of the meeting was
positive and cordial. Radzi began by thanking the Ambassador
for agreeing to meet on a U.S. holiday. The Ambassador began
by conveying condolence on the occasion of drowning deaths
recently in the news that occurred in Radzi's home state.


4. (C) Radzi said that senior officials including Prime
Minister Najib did not believe the Alert "reflected the
situation on the ground." Sabah officials, including the
Chief Minister of Police, had assured KL that the security
situation around Sipadan Island was fine, having been
significantly "upgraded and sustained" since the 2000
kidnapping of tourists; "a platoon of security people are
there." The GOM was concerned that foreigners unfamiliar
with Malaysia would interpret the Alert, though it was
targeted at a small area of eastern Sabah, as a call to avoid
Malaysia. Radzi praised the excellent cooperation between
USG and GOM security agencies, said he understood the
Ambassador's obligation to provide security information to
U.S. citizens, and asked the Ambassador whether the Alert
could be reviewed.


5. (C) The Ambassador said that Radzi's expression of
appreciation for the excellent security cooperation between
our governments was a good starting point, since discussions
between us about the security threat in Sabah had begun in
late November. At that time, the assessment was that the
threat was contained enough that a Travel Alert was not
warranted, but recent information had suggested that attacks
could be imminent, necessitating the Alert. The Ambassador
expressed appreciation for the additional security measures
that the GOM had put in place since November, while pointing
out that the Mission's obligation to inform U.S. citizens of
threats remained, and that there was reason to believe that
the threat from the Philippines changed last week in terms of
being more likely to occur and to be more likely to occur
imminently. The Ambassador said that the language was as
specific as possible to minimize the possibility that
travelers might overinterpret the Travel Alert. He noted
that the Travel Alert would be reviewed as new information
became available and he would report to Washington the GOM's

KUALA LUMP 00000043 002 OF 002


request that the Alert be reviewed and lifted as soon as
possible in light of the GOM's vigorous response in raising
levels of readiness in eastern Malaysia by both police and
military assets. The Ambassador noted, however, that the
threat persisted from the November time frame, despite the
fact that Malaysia had surged security forces in the interim.
The Ambassador also offered to brief other GOM officials
concerned about the Alert.


6. (C) The Ambassador suggested that U.S. Embassy (at the
Ambassador or DCM level),MFA and Home Affairs officials meet
periodically to review security cooperation and information
on travel threats as a way to enhance coordination on these
issues. Radzi said he would discuss the idea with Foreign
Minister Aman. (Note: Our objective is to help the Malaysians
do a better job at their own interagency and
operational-to-policy communication and coordination. The
Ambassador subsequently sent letters to ministers at Foreign
and Home Affairs communicating formally this proposal. End
Note.)
KEITH