KOTA KINABALU: PAS Sabah has urged Federal Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz to direct his tourism officials to promote Sabah as a tourism destination.
Its Deputy Commissioner III, Hamid Ismail, said Sabah is part of Malaysia, and Nazri should change his stand, especially after the short statement made by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman that the security situation in Sabah was improving.
“As a Sabahan, I’d be very pleased if Nazri can change his stand and direct tourism officials to promote Sabah again. Sabah is part of Malaysia. If we are in danger, help us. If we prosper, let’s celebrate together.
“I am making this statement, in reference to Nazri’s statement on Sunday which was reported in the local newspapers explaining and defending his remarks in Parliament that certain places in Sabah were unsafe to visit.
“I think that if an opposition leader had made that sort of remark either in or outside Parliament and later defended it, that leader would have been condemned by various pro-government parties in Sabah.
“Only Sabah Tourism, Culture, and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun and Gerakan Sabah chief Datuk Gordon Leong have come out and slammed the federal minister over his remarks,” said Hamid.
He also said that it was strange that only two leaders slammed Nazri’s statement because that remark and explanation gave a negative impression on Sabah.
“Remember that Nazri had openly said that he will not order tourism official to promote Sabah. That should be a very good reason for every Sabah minister to condemn such statement,” he added.
“By defending his remark that certain places in Sabah are unsafe to visit, Nazri has undermined ESSCom and our security forces in Sabah. It is also an insult to the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak who established ESSCom and Musa who is the chairman of ESSCom.
“If Nazri said that he was only telling the truth about Sabah being unsafe to visit, imagine us Sabahans living in Sabah. Are we also in danger?” Hamid questioned.