Kota Kinabalu: The Federation of Chinese Associations Sabah (FCAS) hoped the Sabah State government will be more “tactful” and “unbiased” in tightening border controls, especially not to specifically single out travellers and tourists from China.
Its President Tan Sri T.C Goh reminded that when announcing the said move on Wednesday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has made it clear that the government’s decision to tighten border controls amid concerns over a spike in Covid-19 cases, is not meant to discriminate against any country.
He said the health of the people is the government’s main concern and this would not be superseded by tourism or economic growth.
“Otherwise, it would make those tourists from China who intended to visit Sabah feel uncomfortable, or ‘unwelcomed’!” he said.
Goh who is also Chairman of Malaysia-China Business Council’s (MCBC) Bilateral Policies Committee said this in a statement on Friday, when commenting on the government’s measures to tighten border controls.
On Wednesday, Sabah Covid-19 spokesman Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun announced that under the new Covid-19 standard operating procedure (SOP) for travellers from China visiting Sabah which will take effect today (Jan 8), prior to departure, travellers coming from the Republic are required to have full vaccination based on the criteria of their origin countries as well as providing a negative RT-PCR or RTK-Ag (professional) test result within 48 hours before their flights.
He further said that SOP for all international travellers upon arrival included a thermal scanner to scan temperature, where those with fever will undergo further deliberation.
“Those with Covid-19 symptoms are required to take the RTK-Ag test,” Masidi said Wednesday.
Goh opined that while it was necessary and appropriate for the State Government to follow the footsteps of the Federal Government to tighten border controls amid concerns over a spike in Covid-19 cases, it nonetheless should not have specifically mentioned the China tourists when making the said announcement, recently.
He fully supported the Prime Minister’s assertion that the government’s decision to tighten border controls is not meant to discriminate against any country, but to safeguard the health of the people.
He reiterated that all quarters should ensure equal treatment for all travellers and tourists entering the country.
Goh added this includes to ensure that upon arrival in Malaysia, they undergo the necessary Covid-19 test, and those who are found to be feverish, symptomatic or have self-declared (Covid-19 symptoms) will be referred to a quarantine centre, or to the health authorities for further checks.
He said, this is necessary, in order to ensure that the impact of Covid-19 is kept well under control and minimal.
Besides this, he said Malaysians who are planning to go abroad or returning from abroad too should be required to take necessary preventive measures, including taking the third vaccine booster shot.
Goh also agreed with the Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister, Dato Sri Tiong King Sing, for cautioning that Malaysia is estimated to lose a whopping RM30 billion in tourism revenue this year, if the Chinese tourists decided to turn away from Malaysia due to “unfriendly” attitude or “hostile” statements of a certain quarters in the country.
He noted that in 2019 Malaysia received three million Chinese tourists which raked in a revenue of RM15.3 billion, while last year 336,000 Chinese nationals, a majority of whom were tourists, visited Malaysia; in other word, there were an average of 28,000 Chinese tourist arrivals every month.
December alone, Malaysia had received 53,000 Chinese travellers, and for this year, Malaysia is expected to receive 6 million tourists from China.
“Hence, we must strive to maintain our friendliness towards the Chinese tourists,” Goh said.
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