Malaysia irked by US kidnapping travel advisory
Malaysia’s ministry of foreign affairs said it will summon the US Ambassador to Malaysia to protest the US State Department’s latest travel advisory.
Malaysia has been put on the so-called ‘K List’ which warns travellers of possible kidnapping risks in countries around the world.
The government has been annoyed by the designation which it says it doesn’t merit.
The US government gave the eastern state of Sabah a Level 2 risk, which states; ‘Exercise Increased Caution.’
It warns of a ‘threat of kidnappings-for-ransom from both terrorist and criminal groups which may attack with little to no warning, targeting coastal resorts, island resorts, and boats ferrying tourists to resort islands.’
The ministry said the US must be ‘more objective in its assessment.’
While there have been isolated incidents of mass kidnapping of tourists in the past, the ministry states they have ‘dropped significantly to almost nil.’
"We will summon the Ambassador of the United States to seek an explanation and hopefully, from the meeting, Washington can change the decision," foreign minister Saifuddin Abdullah said.
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