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KUCHING, July 1: Malaysian Tourist Guides Council (MTGC) declares its full support to Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture Dato Seri Tiong King Sing in the recent Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) commotion, stating that many tourists have likened going through immigration entry points as “going through hell” and “the warlords have all the unreasonable rights”.
MTGC president Jimmy Leong Wie Kong was referring to Tiong’s action for stepping in to assist an employee of a Chinese-based media company after immigration officers held her up at KLIA on her arrival from Shenzhen on Thursday (June 29).
“In doing so, the minister had indeed hit the nail on the right spot and might perhaps rid the common comments that tourist guides commonly heard from the many tourists when receiving them, that going through our immigration entry points, especially at KLIA, was likened to ‘going through hell’ and ‘the warlords have all the unreasonable rights’.
“MTGC applauds such exceptional leadership as manifested by the Minister, as this is crucial for the man appointed to spearhead the tourism industry in achieving positive outcomes and to transform Malaysia’s tourism landscape to a better height by emphasising societal impact and commitment to the common good highlighting issues and calling for an investigation on various unscrupulous activities that are ongoing at the various entry points,” he said in a statement today.
Leong further said the Council hopes the episode will propel a holistic review of the services of the Department of Immigration by the current government to provide reassurance and transparent information to travellers and to support the widespread public and private sector call for a seamless clearance agenda as this ugly incident had painted an overall perception of the nation’s lack of openness and welcome.
“There is certainly a need by the immigration officers an understanding and overcoming of negative impacts in tourism recognising the importance of facilitating seamless clearances as a travel experience but not compromising the sovereign right of our country and to fully respect our borders,” he added. — DayakDaily
