AUSTRALIA TRAVEL WARNING: MalaysiaPUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT16 March 2006 Malaysia
SUMMARY- We advise you to exercise caution and monitor developments that might affect your safety in Malaysia because of the risk of terrorist attack.
- Pay close attention to your personal security and monitor the media for information about possible new safety or security risks.
- We strongly advise you not to travel to coastal resorts and other centres on and islands and dive sites off the east coast of Sabah because of the high threat of kidnapping by terrorists. Terrorists have, in the past, kidnapped foreigners from the eastern coast of mainland Sabah, and from the islands and sea off its east coast. If you are in these areas you should consider leaving. We cannot rule out the possibility of kidnappings from other coastal areas of Sabah, including urban centres, and islands off the coast.
- If you are intending to travel overland from Malaysia to Thailand you should be aware of the travel advice for Thailand which recommends that travellers reconsider their need to travel at this time to the far southern Thai provinces of Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and Songkhla, including overland travel from and to the Malaysian border through these provinces.
- There has been an outbreak of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease in the State of Sarawak. See the Health Issues section for further information.
SAFETY AND SECURITYTerrorism Terrorism is a threat throughout the world. You can find more information about this threat in our General Advice to Australian Travellers. We advise you to exercise caution and monitor developments that might affect your safety in Malaysia because of the risk of terrorist attack. There is a risk of terrorist attack in Malaysia including in commercial and public areas known to be frequented by foreigners such as hotels, clubs, restaurants, bars, schools, marketplaces, places of worship, outdoor recreation events and tourist areas. Eastern Sabah: We strongly advise you not to travel to coastal resorts and other centres on and islands and dive sites off the east coast of Sabah because of the high threat of kidnapping by terrorists. Terrorists have, in the past, kidnapped foreigners from the eastern coast of mainland Sabah, and from the islands and sea off its east coast. If you are in these areas you should consider leaving. Other parts of Sabah: We cannot rule out the possibility of kidnappings from other coastal areas of Sabah, including urban centres, and islands off the coast. In April 2000, foreign and local hostages were taken from the island of Sipadan, off the south-eastern coast of Sabah near the border between Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Further kidnappings took place in September 2000 from Pandanan Island, in October 2003 near Lahad Datu on the eastern Sabah mainland, and in April 2004 at sea off Sabah's east coast. In March 2005 there was a further kidnapping incident near Mataking Island. Malaysian authorities are patrolling these areas but there is still a risk of further kidnappings. Civil Unrest/Political Tension If you are intending to travel overland from Malaysia to Thailand you should be aware of the travel advice for Thailand which recommends that travellers reconsider their need to travel at this time to the far southern Thai provinces of Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and Songkhla, including overland travel from and to the Malaysian border through these provinces. Crime Petty crime is common. 'Snatch and grab' attacks against pedestrians by passing motorcyclists, often resulting in injury to the victim, occur frequently. Drink spiking occurs. Victims lose consciousness and have been assaulted and robbed. Scams involving gambling are common. Credit card fraud occurs extensively throughout Malaysia. Credit cards are frequently copied, for later illegal use, in places ranging from small shops to large department stores and hotels. Local Travel Piracy in south east Asian waters is an ongoing problem, particularly in the Straits of Malacca and in the waters between Sabah and the southern Philippines. The International Maritime Bureau issues weekly piracy reports on its web site. You should also read our travel advice on shipping and ports. Money and Valuables Before you go, organise a variety of ways of accessing your money overseas, such as credit cards, travellers' cheques and cash. Check with your bank whether your ATM card will work overseas. Make two photocopies of valuables such as your passport, tickets, visas and travellers' cheques. Keep one copy with you in a separate place to the original and leave another copy with someone at home. While travelling, don't carry too much cash and remember that expensive watches, jewellery and cameras may be tempting targets for thieves. Your passport is a valuable document that is attractive to criminals who may try to use your identity to commit crimes. It should always be kept in a safe place. You are required by Australian law to report a lost or stolen passport. If your passport is lost or stolen overseas, report it online or contact the nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate as soon as possible. Since 1 July 2005, Australians have been required to pay an additional fee to have their passport replaced. In some cases, the Government may also restrict the length of validity or type of replacement passports. For Parents If you are planning on placing your children in schools or child care facilities overseas we encourage you to research the standards of security, care and staff training within those establishments. You should exercise the same precautions you would take before placing children into schools or child care facilities in Australia. Ideas on how to select child care providers are available from the smartraveller Children's Issues page, Child Wise and the National Childcare Accreditation Council. LOCAL LAWSWhen you are in Malaysia, be aware that local laws and penalties, including ones that appear harsh by Australian standards, do apply to you. If you are arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you but we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail. Information on what Australian consular officers can and cannot do to help Australians in trouble overseas is available from the Consular Services Charter. Penalties for drug offences are severe and include the mandatory death penalty for drug trafficking. Homosexual acts between males are illegal and penalties include corporal punishment and long prison sentences. Homosexual acts between women may be considered an 'act of gross indecency with another' and penalties include imprisonment. Corporal punishment is mandatory for some offences. Some Australian criminal laws, such as those relating to money laundering, bribery of foreign public officials, terrorism and child sex tourism, apply to Australians overseas. Australians who commit these offences while overseas may be prosecuted in Australia. Australian authorities are committed to combating sexual exploitation of children by Australians overseas. Australians may be prosecuted at home under Australian child sex tourism laws. These laws provide severe penalties of up to 17 years imprisonment for Australians who engage in sexual activity with children under 16 while outside of Australia. Local Customs Some sectors of Malaysian society have conservative standards of dress and behaviour and you should take care not to offend. Information for Dual Nationals Malaysia does not recognise dual nationality. This may limit the ability of the Australian Government to provide consular assistance to Australian/Malaysian dual nationals who are arrested or detained. Our Travel Information for Dual Nationals brochure provides further information for dual nationals. ENTRY AND EXIT REQUIREMENTSVisa conditions change regularly. Contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate of Malaysia for the most up to date information. Malaysian immigration authorities may deny entry and deport people arriving in Malaysia with less than six months validity remaining on their passport, even if the person intends staying just a few days. The arrival/departure card is required when departing Malaysia. If you lose it, the card can only be replaced at exit ports or the Immigration Department Headquarters. HEALTH ISSUESAvian influenza: The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has confirmed cases of avian influenza in birds in a number of countries throughout the world. For a list of these countries, visit the OIE website . For information on our advice to Australians on how to reduce the risk of infection and on Australian Government precautions see our travel bulletin on avian influenza. Outbreaks of avian influenza amongst birds, including chickens and ducks, have been reported in Malaysia. The Department of Health and Ageing advises Australians who reside in Malaysia for an extended period to consider, as a precautionary measure, having access to influenza antiviral medicine for treatment. Long term residents are at a greater risk of exposure to avian influenza over time. Medical advice should be sought before antiviral medicines are commenced. Australians intending to travel to Malaysia for shorter periods are at much lower risk of infection but should discuss the risk of avian influenza with their doctor as part of their routine pre-travel health checks. If the avian influenza virus mutates to a form where efficient human-to-human transmission occurs, it may spread quickly and local authorities could move quickly to impose restrictions on travel. Australian travellers and long-term residents in Malaysia should be prepared to take personal responsibility for their own safety and well-being, including deciding when to leave an affected area and ensuring they have appropriate contingency plans in place. Australians in Malaysia should monitor the travel advice and bulletin for updated information and advice, and ensure that their travel documents, including passports and visas for any non-Australian family members, are up to date in case they need to depart at short notice. In September 2005 the Australian Government decided as a precautionary measure to hold a limited supply of the antiviral medicine oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and protective face masks at its high commission in Malaysia. The antivirals would primarily be used to protect emergency staff providing consular and other essential services in the event of a widespread outbreak of avian influenza amongst humans. Australian missions will not be in a position to provide influenza antiviral medicines to Australians in affected areas and it is the responsibility of individual Australians to secure their own supply of such medicines (such as Tamiflu or Relenza), if required. Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease: There is a outbreak of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) currently affecting the State of Sarawak (see map). Thousands of suspected cases, mostly children, have been reported and some have died. HFMD is a viral disease, which affects all age groups, but children are particularly vulnerable. As a precaution, the Malaysian Government has ordered day care centres, kindergartens and some primary schools across Sarawak to close. The disease usually causes only a mild illness but may occasionally cause a more serious and sometimes life-threatening illness. The disease is passed on through close contact with infected individuals. People with HFMD typically experience fever, blisters on the hands, feet, buttocks and in the mouth, a sore throat and headaches. If you experience these symptoms you should seek medical advice. There is no vaccine against HFMD. There is smoke haze across some parts of Malaysia, including Kuala Lumpur, usually during the July to October period. This haze can cause health problems for some people. Keep up to date with advice of local authorities and seek medical advice on appropriate precautions. Regular air quality reports are available from the Malaysian Department of the Environment. There are usually outbreaks of dengue fever in the wet season. Doctors and travel clinics can provide advice about anti-mosquito precautions. Your doctor or travel clinic is the best source of information about immunisations and disease outbreaks overseas. The World Health Organization (WHO) provides information for travellers and our 'Travelling Well' brochure also provides useful tips for staying healthy while travelling overseas. We strongly recommend that you take out comprehensive travel insurance that will cover any overseas medical costs, before you depart. Confirm that your insurance covers you for the whole time you'll be away and check what circumstances and activities are not included in your policy. Remember, if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. | 
