By Nur Ashikin Louis
KUCHING, Dec 28: Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) has to ease criteria for individuals applying for entry into the State.
Former Sarawak Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the committee must not continue to be timid and make things difficult for the tourism industry players and stakeholders especially when the State is only recording about 20 to 30 new daily infections at present.
He was concurring with the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) Sarawak’s recent statement appealing to SDMC to review enterSarawak in order to facilitate the process of applying for entry into Sarawak.
Matta Sarawak chairman Oscar Choo said some applicants complained that the application is not user-friendly, troublesome and to a certain extent caused anxiety due to last minute confirmation.
On top of that, the SDMC hotline was never available when questions or help was needed which in the end fell back on the travel agents to assist their clients.
“For Matta to come up with such statement, I believe they must have received various complaints from the general public.
“Even I myself do not sit well (sic) with the new policy where Sarawakians have to be quarantined in Kuala Lumpur before entering the State. On top of that, the State government has to pay for the quarantine fees.
“Rather than paying the hotels in Peninsular Malaysia, we might as well pay the hotels in Sarawak to do the quarantine.
“If SDMC (does not have the authority to do it), then fight for it. Do not let the national agency dictate to us. Let us decide for ourselves,” he said when officiating at the Ministry of Youth and Sports Sarawak (MYSS) Appreciation Nite 2021 held at a local hotel in Kuching earlier tonight.
The event saw Abdul Karim presenting Excellent Service Awards to 39 MYSS staff as well as souvenirs to 15 retiring staff and 5 Graduates Enhancement Training Sarawak (GETS) trainers.
He also launched a book titled ‘Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on Outdoor Recreational Programme’ produced by Sarawak Youth Camp.
Amongst those present were Abdul Karim’s wife Datin Zuraini Abdul Jabbar, former Youth and Sports Assistant Minister Datuk Snowdan Lawan and wife Datin Melinda Claudia Bucking-Lawan, Tanjong Datu assemblyman-cum-World Taekwondo Malaysia (WTF) president Azizul Annuar Adenan and the ministry’s acting permanent secretary Nancy Jolhi. ― DayakDaily
