By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, March 3: Malaysian Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Dato Seri Tiong King Sing has refuted recent unfounded allegations circulating on social media regarding the demotion of Datuk Dr Ammar Abd Ghapar last year from Tourism Malaysia director-general (DG) to deputy director-general.
He stated that these claims have been traced back to fake social media accounts and were entirely baseless and fabricated.
He clarified that the claim that the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) is involved in recognising Chinese new villages is entirely false, as this issue does not fall under the Ministry’s jurisdiction and has never been discussed within the Ministry.
“Secondly, the rumour about ‘abolishing the homestay system’ is nonsensical.
“On the contrary, the Ministry submitted the relevant policy for approval just last week, and we are actively promoting and developing homestay programmes,” he said in a statement on Facebook today.
He highlighted that the Ministry, as part of the secretariat of the Tourism Cabinet Committee, is working closely with the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development to further enhance the Rural Homestay Programme (PPHM).
He added that the Homestay Association had recently expressed its appreciation for MOTAC’s support, including financial assistance to improve its operations.
Tiong also rejected claims that Chinese tourists receive preferential treatment over others, reaffirming that Malaysia welcomes visitors from all around the world, with promotional efforts targeting key markets, including China, ASEAN countries, Europe, and the Middle East.
While promotional activities in China require more time due to its vast population, this does not mean that other countries are neglected.
Additionally, he dismissed accusations that tourism subsidies are granted based on race, calling such claims “completely false”.
He explained that all subsidy policies implemented by MOTAC are fair and open to all eligible businesses, regardless of the owner’s racial background.
Tiong also denounced the so-called “Laos incident” as a fabricated claim with no factual basis, stating that the Ministry will not entertain such misinformation.
Addressing another allegation, Tiong clarified that during Dr Ammar’s tenure, he never discussed the topic of Syariah-compliant or Muslim-friendly hotels. As such, there was no question of his support or lack thereof for these policies.
He noted that the Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) is set to welcome a new director who will focus on developing Muslim-friendly tourism products—an area that was not addressed under Dr Ammar’s leadership.
Tiong further explained that Dr Ammar, while serving as Acting Director-General, did not meet the expected performance standards.
“He lacked a clear understanding of his responsibilities and failed to demonstrate initiative, offering no clear goals or direction.
“In any position, if a candidate fails to meet established benchmarks during the probationary period, adjustments in their role are standard administrative procedures. I believe this is a completely normal part of governance,” he elaborated.
Salary arrangements, he added, are strictly governed by the regulations of the Public Service Department (JPA).
He further urged the public to refrain from spreading divisive and misleading information, warning that such actions could harm national unity.
“Individuals who engage in spreading maliciously false claims should conduct themselves properly and cease attempts to exploit racial or religious sensitivities,” he stated. – DayakDaily
