Travel warnings have been issued for several islands off the coast of Malaysia after heavily armed gunmen stormed a dive resort, killing a policeman and kidnapping another.
On its Smart Traveller website, Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade warns travellers: "We advise you to reconsider your need to travel to the coastal region of eastern Sabah due to the ongoing threat of kidnapping by militant and criminal groups based in the southern Philippines and violence linked to insurgency and terrorists.
"The kidnapping threat in eastern Sabah includes dive sites and associated tourist facilities."
The raid at the Mabul Water Bungalows Resort on Mabul, off the east coast of Sabah, was the latest in a string of attacks in the region.
On April 2, armed men abducted two women, a Chinese tourist and a Philippine hotel worker, from Singamata Reef Resort.
On November 15, two Taiwanese tourists were attacked in their room at the Sipadan Pom Pom Resort. A male tourist was killed and his wife kidnapped.
Tan Kok Liang, vice president of the Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents, told local journalists the latest incident was a “blatant challenge” to Malaysia’s security.
