KOTA KINABALU: Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun has assured that the intrusion in Lahad Datu has not affected the tourism sector.
Masidi said the reason could be because the location where the intruders were in was isolated, and the exit and entry points have been sealed by our security forces.
He added that the intruders have also been quoted as saying that their intention was not to create problems here, but to register their claim on Sabah.
“If that is the true intention, I don’t see it as something to be worried about. Surprisingly, we did not receive any cancellation (of visit to Lahad Datu),” he said when asked by the media after officiating the launch of the Duty Free Shop (DFS) Borneo here yesterday.
On the other hand, Masidi said there was no such thing as propriety rights over a mass of land, such as a whole country or state nowadays because the whole world recognized the aspiration of the people.
Looking back at the history of colonization and eventual independence, if the people desire independence, that desire should be respected.
“And that’s the end of any claim or propriety right in that particular land.”
On the death of the 14 pygmy elephants at Gunung Rara reserves last month, Masidi said the report had not been released yet. However, Masidi urged the public not to speculate on the death of the elephants.
“Many say it’s the action of oil palm plantation. But the nearest oil palm plantation is 42 kilometres away from the place the elephants were found,” he said.