A new United States terrorism warning against travel to Malaysia was dismissed by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who said Malaysia was on top of the security situation.

"We can manage it. We will be able to make sure that Malaysia will continue to be peaceful and politically stable," Abdullah told a news conference.

He was reacting to a US statement expressing concern over the safety of American citizens and interests in Malaysia, especially in Sabah state on Borneo island, amid a terrorism threat in Southeast Asia.

The State Department's concern was incorporated in an advisory issued Wednesday following the kidnapping last month of two Malaysians and an Indonesian in southern Philippine waters off the coast of eastern Sabah.

They were believed to have been abducted from their vessel by the southern Philippines-based Muslim Abu Sayyaf group believed linked to Jemaah Islamiah (JI), the al-Qaeda terror network's Southeast Asian wing responsible for deadly bombings in Indonesia.

No terror attacks here

Abdullah said that while his country was concerned about any threats the government was on guard and had taken steps to boost security.

Malaysia has not had terror attacks on its own soil, but has detained more than 80 alleged Islamic militants accused of planning the violent overthrow of the state or of belonging to organisations such as JI.

US warnings against travel usually result in fierce condemnation by the targeted countries fearful of losing tourist income, but Abdullah appeared unconcerned.

"I do not anticipate any kind of further negative development as a result of that," he said. - AFP