Kota Kinabalu: Sabah business chambers welcomed the extension of visa exemption between Malaysia and China allowing Chinese nationals to stay in the country as tourists up to 90 days for five years and at the same time, China will also give Malaysia the same treatment.
Sabah United Chinese Chambers of Commerce (SUCCC) and Kota Kinabalu Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (KKCCCI) President Datuk Michael Lui said this good news was one of the memorandums of understanding signed during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Malaysia.
“It is a positive result of Malaysia and China celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and jointly launching a new ‘Golden 50 Years’.
“It is also the best portrayal of the friendly relations between Malaysia and China in the community of shared destiny reiterated by President Xi Jinping that promotes global cooperation and common development, making the relationship between Malaysia and China increasingly close and solid,” he said in a statement Wednesday.
Lui also said that while cheering for the visa exemption between Malaysia and China, the relevant government departments should also take preventive measures against tourists abusing visa convenience to do business in the country.
“Foreign merchants (not just China) have been dumping products at low prices in Malaysia, which has severely hit local business community and made people worry that the Malaysian market will be monopolised by foreign merchants in the future,” he said.
Liu also cited the recent emergence of many Chinese tourists in Sabah’s tourist resort in Semporna to do business as an example, from operating restaurants to providing one-stop services for boats and transportation, which seriously affected the business livelihood of local businessmen.
“We urge the relevant authorities to take immediate actions to curb it.
“We welcome foreign investors or foreign businessmen to invest in Sabah if the foreign investment attracted by the Government is technology transfer and can increase employment opportunities; but for those who come in as tourists to dump and monopolise the market, and do not earn foreign exchange for Sabah, will lead to an unhealthy situation and hit local businesses.
“In view of this, I urge the Malaysian Government to establish a mechanism, such as raising the import threshold for foreigners, to prevent them from engaging in unfair competition and monopoly, so as to support and protect local businesses,” Lui said.
