No Drama In City Centre

Everyone’s talking about it – stay away from Sabah. Sabah is not safe. Red alert!!! Don’t travel anywhere close to it. And here I am, right smack in the centre of Sabah and life is as it always is – PEACEFUL!

Relax at Sutera Harbour Resort's beachfront by The Pacific Sutera Hotel.

I’m from West Malaysia and I’ve been in Kota Kinabalu for the past eight months – change of job, change of lifestyle and reasonably happy. And then the Lahad Datu incident where some intruders attacked a village in Sabah rocked the entire world (or almost) with negative reports. But what is actually the truth? Does anyone out there really know how unsafe or safe Sabah is? For those of you who are not residing in Sabah, or anywhere close to where the intruders are, don’t spread crazy news. You are not helping the situation. Why do you want to cause panic when there is no reason for panic?

I live in Sabah’s capital city, Kota Kinabalu and that is about 6 to 8 hours drive to Lahad Datu and Semporna where the incident took place. There are no curfews here or any of the nearby areas. The only areas that are under tight security are Lahad Datu and Semporna. While our security forces are everywhere in the areas, protecting the innocents the rest of the world shoot their spirits down by spreading news that things aren’t under control. Have some faith in them, ok?

My family has called several times. They have asked me to book the next flight out. Take a long holiday, they suggested. When I said no, they planned my escapade should the entire office come under siege. Pack a bag they said. Bring your passport with you at all times, stash a sports shoes in the bag as well so you can change from those killer heels. So now I travel in my sporty little car with a black luggage bag in the boot filled with a track suit, a track top and a pair of running shoes. And my passport? It’s inside my handbag, just in case I can’t make it to the car and I have to make an instant dash to the airport. I mocked my family by asking, "What if the airport is under attack?" They ignored me. Instead they said: Leave everything else behind BUT your passport.

Okay let’s get serious, my family buzzed on Skype. But I am serious. Sabah is doing fine. Kota Kinabalu is operating as usual. Businesses continue without a hitch. I’m still driving around safe and sound and the clubs around town are still buzzing in the evenings. 

Seriously romantic - an evening watching the sunset at Sutera Harbour Resort, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

So chill, ok? Time is ticking so why not enjoy the beautiful sunset like I did this evening or go for a swim at Kota Kinabalu’s beautiful beaches? Things here are under control and if it’s really as bad as what you've been hearing then wouldn’t you think the entire state would have been under curfew by now?

Read from reliable sources:
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2013/3/11/nation/20130311160240&sec=nation