‘Sabah is safe, and under control’

Boost for tourism: An idyllic resort in Semporna. According to Saifuddin Nasution, an estimated 156,363 ­foreign tourists had entered the five ESS Zone tourist destinations of Kudat, Sandakan, Kinabatangan, Lahad Datu and Semporna. — NG KOK LEONG/The Star

KOTA KINABALU: Resorts in Sabah’s east coast are seeing more tourists with heightened security under the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom), which has seen 40 kidnap for ransom (KFR) cases solved since 2017.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said since 2017, a total of 40 KFR cases involving the notorious Abu Sayyaf group had been solved either by their members being arrested or killed.