| PUBLIC CAN VISIT SIPADAN AS USUAL WITH
PERMIT FROM NSC SEMPORNA, April 26 (Bernama) -- Sipadan Island is, as usual, open to all
tourists and members of the public, said Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Mamat Talib.
He denied reports of the island being off-limits following last Sunday's hostage-taking
incident.
Also as per normal, visitors can get the permit to visit Sipadan from the national
security division in Kota Kinabalu, he told reporters here Wednesday.
Mamat said:" Reports of Sipadan Island being off-limits to tourists and others are
not true. As per normal they can visit the island after getting the permit."
Sipadan Island, a popular scuba-diving haven, was raided by armed pirates who abducted 21
people, including 11 foreigners, and possibly took them to southern Philippines.
Mamat was clarifying newspaper reports today quoting Semporna district police chief Supt
Sulaiman Junaidi as saying that Sipadan was closed indefinitely to facilitate
investigation into the hostage-taking incident.
The state police commissioner had earlier briefed visiting Sabah Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun
Sakaran Dandai here on the latest situation on the incident.
The reports also quoted Sulaiman as saying that police evacuated workers and tourists from
Sipadan to nearby Mabul Island, also another popular scuba-diving spot off Semporna
"The closure (of Sipadan) is not true," said Mamat.
Mamat said intending visitors to Sipadan Island should get permission from the national
security division in Kota Kinabalu which issues permit to a maximum of 80 tourists and 23
workers at a time.
The permit requirement was not a new ruling and was first introduced in 1997.
Mamat also said Sipadan is safe to visit. "I'm giving the assurance that the island
is safe and we have ordered for police reinforcement and security be tightened," he
said.
Mamat said that from now on only the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Norian Mai can
issue statements on the latest development relating to the hostage crisis.
Last Sunday night, six armed pirates raided Sipadan Island and took 21 people hostage,
including 11 foreigners, and then fled with their captives in two boats towards Philippine
waters.
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