security on Mabul & Sipadan Islands

[InDaWata]

*Double post! sorry...

 

[Propatriamori]

It was never implied that there was any sort of political motivation.

I would go so far as to say that there is almost no political motivation behind this or the 2000 attacks. The main driver behind these attacks for the ASG would most likely be financial.

 

[InDaWata]

Ahh.... so theyre not really "terrorists" per-se, more like heavily armed thugs...?


Either way, if I had a trip planned for Mabul/Sipadan right about now- I think I'd probably still go. The diving is too good to miss.

 

[rakay]

Oh, believe me, we are going anyway. I have talked to several people that have been there and it should be a trip of a lifetime. Life would be way to boring staying home all the time.

 

[gee13]

What do you think they will benefit from? The same benefits they derived from the successful attack in 2000. The intention to attack tourism interests in Eastern Sabah still exists, or else there would not have been a travel warning.

Apparently the militants managed to pull this attack off, in Eastern Sabah, without being killed by Malaysian Navy personnel.

My assessment would be that the Malaysian Navy does not have a complete lock on the eastern coast of Sabah.

Your mileage may vary...

Can't compare to 2000 when there were only a couple of resorts on Sipadan Island itself, and there was no military base or strong presence there.

The ASG attacks are not motivated by targetting tourism in Sabah, its about getting an independent recognition for a separate islamic state south of Phillipines.

Sabah just happens to be just south of south phillipines! They have targetted many luxurious resorts across South Phillipines.

As far as I know Balikatan operation between US Forces and Phillipines has severely hampered the activites of ASG.

 

[Propatriamori]

Ahh.... so theyre not really "terrorists" per-se, more like heavily armed thugs...?


Either way, if I had a trip planned for Mabul/Sipadan right about now- I think I'd probably still go. The diving is too good to miss.

That's probably true for the vast majority of "terrorists".

I'd probably still go too. It's probably safer now than it was before the warning.

 

[rakay]

That's what I figured too.

 

[kingholloway]

Was there last week, nothing happened to me.

 

[Bronson]

The Malaysia Navy was in the area in 2000 (i saw them there as i was there the week prior to the 2000 Sipadan kidnapping incident. So much for having a bunch of reservists in the area.

If you are american, you would be better served to go elsewhere. It is not a favorite passport for that area right now.

 

[Zippsy]

Sometimes I am embarrassed to be an American.

Trust me, you are much much safer in Malaysia, Indonesia, Timor, etc than most places in the US. I only say this from personal experience though. Keeping up on the US and Asian news says the same thing but I tend to discount the propoganda even if it does back up my understanding.