CM: Security on Sabah's east coast at the highest level
Hajiji (second right) receives a memento from Dr Eldeen.
KOTA KINABALU (June 3): Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor has given assurance that the security level on Sabah's east coast remains at its highest, with no untoward incidents occurring in recent years.
He made this statement during a courtesy visit by Malaysia's Ambassador to France, Datuk Eldeen Husaini Mohd Hashim, at his office in Menara Kinabalu on Tuesday.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister also expressed his delight in hearing that Sabah continues to be a key destination for French visitors, ranking third in European tourist arrivals to Sabah, after the United Kingdom and Germany.
French tourist arrivals in the first quarter of this year recorded a 26.8 percent increase to 2,116 visitors compared to 1,669 in the same period last year, and the number continues to rise.
Hajiji is confident that continued, more proactive and aggressive promotional efforts will certainly help to further increase the arrival of French visitors to Sabah.
Eldeen Husaini, who hails from Kuala Lumpur, was appointed as Malaysia's Ambassador to France in April 2024. He has previously held various important positions, including Malaysia's Ambassador to Cambodia.
Hajiji and Eldeen discussed a range of strategic cooperation opportunities between Sabah and France, including in the field of tourism, which will bring mutual benefits to the people of the state.
Also present were Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, who is also chairman of the Sabah Tourism Board (STB), STB Chief Executive Officer Julinus Jeffery Jimit, director of International Promotion (Americas, Europe, Oceania) at Tourism Malaysia, Akbal Setia, and director of Tourism Malaysia Paris, Zalina Ahmad.
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