LANGKAWI – Although the island is a green zone, the conditional movement control order (CMCO) in the Klang Valley has badly affected the tourism industry here, said its MP Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
After a three-day visit to his constituency, he said domestic tourism has taken a plunge with the resurgence of Covid-19 elsewhere.
“The government needs to inject the necessary funding to stimulate tourism, which will then generate a multiplier effect to the economy.
“There are now only three daily flights into the island and the ferry services have recorded a drop in the number of passengers.”
In his latest social media posting, Dr Mahathir said tourism in Langkawi can be saved if the rescue plan is planned well and the government is willing to listen.
He added that the government must be willing to first take into account suggestions and complaints from the small medium enterprises here.
“Langkawi is green, free from Covid-19. The residents here adhered to the standard operating procedures and screening is conducted on all visitors.”
He also expressed concerns over the long-term damage on the tourism industry here.
“Over time, the government can make returns from injecting funds into the economy now.
“I feel that the virus will linger on for a while. We cannot eliminate it in the near future but the people need to survive and earn a living.
“If we do not help them, the country will wade into a depression.”
He added that Malaysia must learn to co-exist with the pandemic for now. – The Vibes, November 4, 2020
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