GEORGE TOWN – Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow hopes the Year of the Tiger will usher in economic recovery after almost two years of disruptions due to the adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Chow said he is optimistic Penang can recover along with the rest of the world, as vaccinations and boosters pick up pace.
He said this after attending a Spring Festival (Lunar New Year) reception, hosted by the Chinese Consul-General’s Office here.
Many of the participants attended the event on a virtual basis through video conference.
I am truly honoured to be here by the invitation of the (Chinese) consulate in Penang to celebrate the Spring Festival. The friendship between Malaysia and China has withstood the test of time.
“Forty-eight years is a long time to commemorate the bilateral ties and diplomatic relations we have forged between both nations.”
Present was Consul-General Lu Shiwei, who is based in Penang.
Chow pointed out that the year 2022 has been set as the year of recovery, especially for tourism, which has been severely impacted by the pandemic.
“We have allocated RM50 million for promotional activities, tourism development projects and grants for stakeholders to boost our local tourism industry. The number of Chinese tourists is expected to return, with various promotions taking place this year to rebuild our tourism industry,” said Chow.
Before the pandemic, Penang had some three million tourists from China.
Chow also hopes China would share its experience in industrialisation and participate in the state’s entry into high-tech manufacturing fields, such as artificial intelligence, robotics, big data analytics and life sciences.
Penang is also actively pursuing opportunities in the digital economy. – The Vibes, January 29, 2022
