KOTA KINABALU – Sabah has taken a serious note into the allegations of graft among immigration officers at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) with the minister-in-charge of state tourism, believing this could be detrimental to the industry.
Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew said Sabah’s tourism is on a good recovery trajectory, and negative reports like this will potentially see tourists avoid the country as their holiday destination.
“In particular, this unfortunate situation could hurt Sabah's tourism industry, which is on a recovery trajectory, after we have started reopening our international borders.
“Tourism activities are picking up post-pandemic, as tourists have started coming to Sabah in droves, with the resumption of direct scheduled flights from China and South Korea, among other countries,” she said in a statement here today.
Liew said this in reference to Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing who raised fire over the corrupt practices of immigration officers at the international airport after barging into a restricted area in the airport to assist a China national detained by the immigration officers recently.
Tiong had claimed some officers were allegedly demanding money from the foreigner. Tiong will now have to brief the cabinet about the fracas on Wednesday.
On the same development, Liew expressed confidence in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to resolve the controversy following his surprise visit to the airport yesterday.
“We are relieved to hear from the PM that the cabinet would discuss the matter this Wednesday, and his assurance that an investigation would be conducted into the allegations (made by Tiong).
“Malaysia, including Sabah and Sarawak, had always relished the visits of Chinese tourists in the past, and so, we should not let this alleged incident destroy our good relationship.
“We welcome all tourists and visitors, and want them to enjoy the enchanting beauty of our land and Malaysians’ warm hospitality,” she said in a statement on Monday. – The Vibes, July 3, 2023
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