| MALAYSIA STILL A SAFE HAVEN FOR TOURISTS:
PM PUTRAJAYA,
April 25 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is still a safe haven for tourists despite Sunday's
hostage-taking incident on Sipadan island off Sabah, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir
Mohamad said today.
He said the area was a peaceful tourist resort as there had been no such incidents before.
However, he said: "It will affect tourism in Sabah but the rest of the country is not
affected by this (incident). Malaysia is very safe for tourists."
Dr Mahathir said this when asked at a press conference at the Prime Minister's Office here
about the latest situation on the incident in which armed pirates took 20 people,
including foreign tourists, hostage.
He said the raid was not carried out by Malaysians, adding: "We don't get this kind
of things happening in Malaysia very often."
Dr Mahathir said while there could be lax of security at some tourist spots in the area,
there was no serious danger.
There would be more patrols by the security forces in the area, he said.
He said the authorities were still investigating the Sipadan hostage-taking and reasons
behind it.
"We do not want to accuse anyone, we are investigating," he said when asked
whether international politics could be a reason.
In the incident, six pirates, armed with AK47 assault rifles and a bazooka, took nine
Malaysians and 11 foreigners hostage and fled with them in two boats towards Philippine
waters.
The prime minister was also asked about the US authorities' use of force to seize
six-year-old Cuban castaway boy Elian Gonzalez, Dr Mahathir said:"We're gentle
people...we don't point guns at anybody and resort to violence."
"I am not against the American people, I don't like their press and some American
leaders. They are always fabricating lies about Malaysia," he added.
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