Malaysia has asked Australia to retract an advisory warning its citizens against travelling to the Borneo coast, saying that claims it was at risk of a terrorist threat were inaccurate.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said late yesterday he was confident that there were "no untoward incidents" occurring in Sabah state on the Malaysian side of Borneo island, which is shared with Indonesia.

"We can't do anything if a foreign country wants to issue travel advisories, but in the case of Sabah, we're sure the security situation there is under control, with many police and military personnel being deployed there," he said.

Najib told the official Bernama news agency that there had been no intelligence report from the Malaysian security authorities suggesting a threat to the region.

He said Malaysia hoped that Australia would heed his assurances and retract the travel advisory.

"Any travel advisory would cause worry among foreign tourists and, therefore, it's our responsibility to do something so that this will not continue," he said.

"We have to do something so that they can withdraw the travel advisory as soon as possible."

Concerned about militants

Australia and the United States periodically re-issue advisories warning their nationals not to travel to the Borneo coast, saying they are concerned that militants planned to kidnap foreigners there.

The US State Department noted last year that several kidnappings and piracy incidents had occurred in the area, perpetrated by criminals and the Philippines-based Abu Sayyaf, and there were indications of more being planned.

Sabah's Sipadan island came under the international news spotlight in 2000 when 21 people including 12 foreigners were abducted by Abu Sayyaf rebels.

The Abu Sayyaf, which is believed to have ties to the Al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah group responsible for deadly bombings in Indonesia, released the captives after large ransoms were reportedly paid.