Racial remarks made by Perikatan Nasional (PN) members have had a negative impact on Malaysia's tourism industry, leading to a decrease in tourists' interest in visiting the country.
Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing (Bintulu-GPS), the Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, addressed the parliament today and urged the opposition to focus on improving the nation's tourism economy rather than fueling racial sentiments that make travelers, especially those from China, feel uneasy.
Tiong expressed his hope that the opposition would collaborate with the government to boost tourism and refrain from raising racial issues on every occasion. He shared that he had personally heard from Chinese tourists who were unsure about visiting Malaysia due to the spread of racial sentiments.
Tiong emphasized that the progress of the tourism industry could only be achieved through collective efforts to promote the country. The minister also expressed his disappointment with certain Members of Parliament (MPs) who did not attend meetings despite receiving invitations from the ministry to discuss tourism-related matters concerning their constituencies. Tiong pointed out that although some MPs sent representatives in their place, those representatives were often uninformed about the needs of the constituency.
He hoped for better cooperation between MPs and the ministry in future meetings, particularly regarding Budget 2024. Tiong provided an update on the number of tourists visiting Malaysia. As of the third week of August, approximately 12.7 million tourists had visited the country, bringing the ministry closer to its target of hosting 16.1 million tourists this year. In summary, Tiong highlighted the detrimental impact of racial rhetoric on Malaysia's tourism industry.
He called for unity and cooperation between the government and the opposition to bolster the tourism economy. Additionally, Tiong stressed the importance of MPs actively participating in discussions concerning their constituencies' tourism needs and expressed optimism for improved collaboration in the future. The minister also shared the latest figures on tourist arrivals, indicating progress towards the annual target.
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