By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, April 30:The Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts (MTCP) has obtained the MS ISO 9001:2015 certification for its Quality Management System (QMS) and successfully maintained the MS ISO 37001:2015 Anti-Bribery Management System (ABMS) certification, further strengthening investor confidence and enhancing the credibility of Sarawak’s tourism sector as an international destination.
Integrity is being upheld as a key pillar in strengthening the competitiveness and sustainability of Sarawak’s tourism industry, in line with the aspiration to position the state as a trusted and respected global destination.
MTCP Minister Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, stressed that the development of the tourism, arts and heritage sectors should not depend solely on increasing visitor arrivals and international recognition, but must be underpinned by strong integrity in all aspects of service delivery.
He said, based on Transparency International’s 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), Malaysia improved to 52 points and climbed to 54th place globally from 57th previously, reflecting positive progress in strengthening governance.
“The national aspiration is to be among the top 25 countries by 2033, and this requires continuous commitment from all parties, including civil servants, the private sector and the community,” he said in his speech text, which was read by his deputy, Datuk Snowdan Lawan, in conjunction with MTCP’s Integrity Day held at a hotel here today.
He further emphasised that Sarawak must play a strategic role by making integrity the foundation for sustainable tourism development, given that the industry relies heavily on trust, reputation and visitor experience.
“Without integrity, the strengths of this state can be undermined, as practices such as leakage, abuse of power, corruption and lack of transparency can damage long-established reputations and affect investor and visitor confidence,” he added.
He stressed that strengthening integrity would ensure Sarawak’s tourism industry continues to grow sustainably, not only as a scenic destination but also as one that is trusted internationally.
Also present were Deputy Minister for Tourism Datuk Sebastian Ting, MTCP permanent secretary Morshidi Fredrick, Sarawak Integrity and Ombudsman Unit director Wan Mohamad Wan Drahman, and MTCP deputy permanent Secretary Julin Alen. — DayakDaily
