Suspension of activities at all islands off Sabah

[The Wolf]

hoot, you are clearly in an agitated state. Since you have chosen to employ sarcasm as a response to one of my posts, let me just say that as a matter of fact, having lived for many years in Malaysia and having worked in the Ministry of Education as a Senior Lecturer, in fact I can read Bahasa (talk about leaping to conclusions!). However, I haven't seen the actual document, so I can't say that it is a hoax, but the lack of any documentation other than images from iPhones posted on Facebook doesn't add much weight to the claims, and hoaxes happen with unfortunate regularity. I have only heard third or fourth hand what it says from sources like you.

Can you attach a soft copy of the document here rather than just paraphrasing?

At any rate, thanks for the update about the police checkpoints. That's very helpful.

The letter was for sabah parks and not the general public. I saw it on facebook as it was being circulated on Friday lunch time...will try to locate it as I didn't bother saving it or tagging myself to it..and I am trying to figure out who had posted it as there are no less than 20-30 people on my page who are posting information and photos from Lahad Datu at the moment..some accurate, some in accurate.

But that fax appeared to be genuine.

---------- Post added March 3rd, 2013 at 10:27 PM ----------

Okey, I know why it was deleted now. Locals over in Sabah are being told not to publish or post updates on facebook relating to security directives or post photos of police and security forces or where they are located or what equipment and weapons they have on scene or anything of that sort as a lot of information is getting out to the pirates and their families over in Mindanao apparently via facebook and links/sharing.

And that information is being relayed by sms and phone calls to whoever it is that's causing problems. Apparently.

And a lot of updates I have been following have since started to be deleted and/or removed by the people that were posting the updates and photos.

---------- Post added March 3rd, 2013 at 10:35 PM ----------

Latest update via The Star

LAHAD DATU: Police have now considered the Semporna shootout incident resolved after recovering the body of another policeman and six corpses believed to be those of the gunmen.
This brings to six the number of policemen killed following an ambush by the Sulu gunmen in Kampung Sri Jaya in the Semulu settlement near Semporna town late Friday. Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Ismal Omar told reporters at 9pm Sunday that the mopping operations involved checking through some 300 houses ended at 6.30pm on Sunday.
From that police were able to account for the 19 of the 25 policemen who caught in the ambush. The policemen have since been taken to the district police headquarters while the bodies were brought to the Semporna hospital.

 

[Progen]

Here it is, Quero.

 

[The Wolf]

Here it is, Quero.


View attachment 149142

thanks

 

[Quero]

Thanks. To me it looks more like an internal "travel warning/advisory" memo meant to instruct government functionaries to avoid the area rather than a blanket order to close the area off to everyone. Translated for those who may not be familiar with Bahasa Malaysia:

DELAY VISITS TO ISLANDS OFF SABAH
I respectfully request your attention to the matter stated above. All activities and visits to the islands off Sabah should be postponed until further notice.
Thank you and please take note.

I don't see any mention of specific islands being included or excluded from the memo, and I don't see any mention of suspension of scuba diving or other tourist activities.

When I worked in the MoE, we had a whole schedule of visits and activities we carried out throughout the country. I am guessing that this memo is meant to instruct Sabah Parks officials to reschedule any events they've got planned on the islands until the situation is resolved.

 

[biskutz]

Hope everything goes well, I planned to have my trip on April to Mabul... raying:

 

[DeaDLocK]

Deleted. Repost.

 

[Midget]

Yesterday's gun battle was at Kampung Simunul. That is the village directly adjacent to the jetty where the Sipadan tour operators offices are located.

If I had a trip planned in the next while, I'd be postponing!

I have many dear friends in the area .....holding them close in my thoughts now.

 

[Progen]

Last I heard from my instructor at Pom Pom Island, there were only 14 guests left at the resort. Had they had television in every room, I think the number could have been zero but the problem now is whether they can find an alternative disembarkation spot were they to evacuate since the jetty's near to one of the hot zones.

 

[The Wolf]

Last I heard from my instructor at Pom Pom Island, there were only 14 guests left at the resort. Had they had television in every room, I think the number could have been zero but the problem now is whether they can find an alternative disembarkation spot were they to evacuate since the jetty's near to one of the hot zones.

Semporna is packed with police and army including naval special forces. Its safe to head down to the jetty (the new one or the older one!) now.

Perhaps the map attached will give some people a better understanding of why it's not particularly safe AT THE MOMENT to be monkeying about on islands in the area.

Give it a week or so and let things settle down and for the Malaysians to move more naval assets into the area and these hoodlums from the Philippines to either get zapped by the army and air force or for them to surrender. Suluks have a terrible temper and are incredibly irrational people. You get this relative and that cousin and that uncle packing up to head over for revenge and **** like that.

To be fair, I think the situation is cooling off now and will be over and done with once they do finish off the 100 or so hoodlums in Lahad Datu.

But this situation should never have been allowed to last this long...it only allowed them time to organize themselves. What the hell was allowing them electricity and the ability to charge their mobile phones and to call back to Zambonga and to make live reports and updates and to make press statements all about?! Someone in the malaysian government truly screwed up big time.

 

[Progen]

Which part is hoot72 in? I'm Sabahan myself and born in Tawau but am in Kuching now. Working here. Not that I ran away.

The problem with disembarking at Semporna is the fairly long drive to Tawau during which anything can happen since most of the roads run past rather quiet stretches in between oil palm plantations. Some of the troublemakers may just decide to target tourists instead like those clowns who kidnapped the tourists from Sipadan some years ago.