Can we travel to Malaysia now? Chinese tourists in Sabah, Malaysia will return home as soon as possible

Sabah, Malaysia, has long had a large number of Chinese tourists. It is the world's top tourist destination and a very famous diving destination. However, as the novel coronavirus pneumonia continues to ferment in 2020, various countries have begun to restrict Chinese tourists. When traveling abroad, the best choice for Chinese tourists in Sabah is to return home as soon as possible.

The Chinese Consulate reminds Chinese tourists in Sabah, Malaysia to return home as soon as possible

On February 4, 2020, the Chinese Consulate General in Kota Kinabalu reminded Chinese tourists in Sabah, Malaysia Chinese tourists should return home as soon as possible.

Since January 30, the Malaysian Sabah state government has taken measures to prohibit Chinese tourists from China and holding tourist visas from entering Sabah from direct flights, resulting in a sharp decrease in direct flights between Sabah and China. It is understood that Malindo Air, Shanghai Airlines, Spring Airlines, and Xiamen Airlines have all grounded their flights. Currently, only three airlines, China Southern Airlines, AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines, are still operating a small number of flights.

China Southern Airlines (CZ) currently only operates the Kota Kinabalu-Guangzhou route. The remaining flights are CZ8336 on February 3, CZ8484 on February 4, CZ8484 and CZ8336 on February 5. February All flights will be suspended from the 6th; AirAsia (AK) currently only operates direct flights from Kota Kinabalu to Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Kunming and Hangzhou, which may be canceled at any time. It is recommended that tourists pay attention to flight status at any time, and if necessary, they can check at the AirAsia counter (D01) at Kota Kinabalu Airport; Malaysia Airlines (MH) currently only operates two direct flights to Shanghai, MH394, every Tuesday and Friday***. No notice of grounding has been received yet.

The Chinese Consulate General in Kota Kinabalu reminds Chinese tourists in Sabah to book tickets as early as possible and take appropriate flights back home within the validity period of their visas. Regarding the news that the visa can be extended online, the Sabah Immigration Bureau clarified that it can only be extended for Chinese tourists due to flight cancellation or unable to book tickets for up to 7 days. It is not a long-term stay and requires a guarantee from a Sabah local. After the postponement, there may be a risk that flights will be completely grounded, and tourists will be faced with the situation of being unable to return home. Under Malaysian immigration laws, overstaying will face serious legal consequences.

The Chinese Consulate General in Kota Kinabalu stated that tourists can choose direct flights or transfer back to their home countries through Kuala Lumpur and other places. Sabah (including Kota Kinabalu, Tawau, Mt. There are dozens of flights every day between Kuala Lumpur and Kuala Lumpur, and flights between Kuala Lumpur and various cities in China are not suspended for the time being. Due to the lag in information on various online ticket booking platforms, the Chinese Consulate recommends that tourists book and change tickets directly on the airline's official website or at the airport counter, and pay attention to flight updates at any time.

In addition, the Chinese Consulate General in Kota Kinabalu also reminded Chinese tourists to pay attention to epidemic prevention and safety. The Sabah state government recently stated that in the event of an epidemic, Sabah lacks the necessary medical resources and technology. Taking into account possible uncertainties in the future, it is recommended that Chinese tourists staying in Sabah return home as soon as possible.

At the same time, in view that the Sabah state government has banned direct flights from Chinese tourists departing from the country, Chinese tourists planning to go to Sabah are reminded to temporarily cancel their trips to Sabah.

Telephone number of Sabah Tourism Bureau: 006-088212121;

Address of Sabah Tourism Bureau: 51 Jalan Gaya Kota Kinabalu;

Official website of Sabah Tourism Bureau: www.sabahtourism.com

China Southern Airlines customer service hotline: 0086-4008695539;

China Southern Airlines official website: www.csair.com

AirAsia China customer service hotline: 0086- 512_85557711;

AirAsia official website: www.airasia.com

Malaysia Airlines customer service phone number: 0060-378433000;

Malaysia Airlines official website: www.malaysiaairlines.com

Malaysian police and emergency hotline: 0060-999;

Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Global Consular Protection and Service Emergency Call Center: 0086-10-12308/59913991;

The consular protection telephone number of the Embassy in Malaysia: 0060-321645301;

The consular protection telephone number of the Consulate General in Kota Kinabalu is: 0060-149857312.

Travel Tips

The recent epidemic is in a period of growth. It is better for everyone to try not to travel far away. The best choice is not to travel to avoid cross-infection outside, which is harmful to yourself and your family. All protective work needs to be done.