KOTA KINABALU: A message claiming that the Chinese government has warned Sabah to solve its water supply problem or risk having a travel advisory issued against the state is fake, the Consulate General of China in Kota Kinabalu says.
The Consulate General issued the clarification following an online media outlet’s claims that the Chinese Embassy in Malaysia has issued a “strong warning” to the Sabah Government over the water supply issue.
It dismissed the claim as “disinformation”, saying that it had issued no such warning to any entities in the state.
“Neither the Embassy of China in Malaysia nor the Consulate General of China in Kota Kinabalu has ever issued any so-called ‘warning' or ‘threat’ to the Sabah state government, Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK), or any other local authorities regarding the water supply issue, nor have we mentioned any so-called ‘travel advisory’,” it said.
The statement went on to state that the Consulate General would uphold the spirit of China–Malaysia friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation with Malaysia and Sabah in areas such as tourism, trade, and culture.
“We will continue to facilitate people-to-people exchanges and local cooperation between the two countries,” it added.
The statement continued by urging the relevant media outlets to base their reporting on facts, to contribute positively to the friendly relations between both sides, and to avoid disseminating unverified information that may mislead the public.
According to the media outlet, this warning was issued during a recent meeting with the Consulate General of China, City Hall and the Sabah Tourism Board.
It claimed that the Consulate General had said that the water crisis in Sabah had affected many Chinese tourists in their homestays, hotels and other accommodations, including in five-star hotels.
It further alleged that the Consulate General had warned that it would advise Chinese citizens to stop travelling to Sabah if this issue persisted.
