Tiong stressed that delays in reporting can have negative consequences, highlighting that prompt and accurate reporting allows the ministry to act swiftly, taking appropriate and effective steps to provide assistance and solutions.
BINTULU (Nov 17): Tourism agencies and transportation companies must report any incidents involving tourists immediately, said Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.
Tiong stressed that delays in reporting can have negative consequences, highlighting that prompt and accurate reporting allows the ministry to act swiftly, taking appropriate and effective steps to provide assistance and solutions.
“The reputation of Malaysia’s tourism industry will suffer if related parties are slow to act and negligent in handling reports,” said the Bintulu MP in Facebook post yesterday.
According to Tiong Motac is currently discussing with authorities the transfer of certain regulatory powers over tourist vehicles, including tour buses.
“This move will allow for better coordination of oversight measures, the implementation of reforms, and more effective enforcement of regulations,” he said.
The minister also directed the Tourism Licensing and Enforcement Division to address this matter seriously and effectively.
“There should be no perception that Motac is indifferent to tourism issues, as it could undermine our efforts to promote Malaysia as a tourist destination.
“When incidents involving tourists occur, we will act swiftly to ensure effective resolution and maintain good communication with all involved parties,” Tiong said.
He stressed that travel agencies are the frontline of the tourism industry and play a crucial role.
He added previous incidents have shown that negative occurrences can tarnish the country’s tourism image, erode confidence in local travel agencies, and reduce the appeal of attracting international tourists.
“I emphasise clearly that, whether it’s a tourism-related accident or other negative incidents, travel agencies and insurance companies must take full responsibility and act promptly.
“Careless and irresponsible actions not only worsen the situation but also hinder the growth of the tourism industry and make foreign tourists hesitant to choose Malaysia as a destination,” Tiong said.
Tiong urged all travel agencies to cooperate with the government, help address issues, and mitigate negative impacts while contributing to the development of the tourism industry.
“During my recent visit to Japan, I was informed by Japanese authorities that the investigation into the tour bus incident, which resulted in the death of a Japanese tourist, has not yet been resolved.
“Following my meeting with representatives from the travel agency today, we will hold discussions next week with three main parties, travel agencies, tour bus operators, and insurance companies.
“We will also request the participation of PDRM (Royal Malaysia Police) representatives to ensure an effective resolution,” he said.
He stressed that unresolved issues, such as the tour bus accident, can undermine Japanese tourists’ confidence in visiting Malaysia.
This could affect Japan’s initial commitment to send two million tourists each year to our country, he added.
Tiong emphasised that the Malaysia-Japan tourism relationship is very important for the economic and tourism development of the country.
“We must resolve the tour bus accident incident properly to avoid negative consequences in the future,” he said.
In that incident, 13 victims, including 11 Japanese tourists, were injured when the tour bus they were on collided with the rear of a trailer at KM 230.3 of the North-South Expressway, near Taiping.
The Japanese tourist reportedly died while being treated at the Kuala Kangsar Hospital.
“Let us work together to ensure that such incidents do not recur and that solutions can be achieved quickly and effectively,” Tiong said.
This post was originally published on here
