Strict SOP for foreign travellers not the right step – Tiong

SHAH ALAM - The step to tighten the existing standard operating procedure (SOP) on foreign travelers' entry is not an accurate and effective step.

Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said Malaysia had received travellers from all around the world earlier, including from countries with a high record of Covid-19 infections.

"We are grateful the Covid-19 spread in Malaysia is still under control.

"Even China has already passed the surge phase of Covid-19 infections, so tightening the existing SOP is not the right and effective step at this time," he said in a statement today.

Tiong said the RM30 billion figure he mentioned earlier was to show how great the economic value was for the tourism sector, which specifically involved China.

"This is also in line with the forecast increase in Chinese travellers to Malaysia from three million in 2019 to approximately six million this year," he said.

On Friday, Tiong was reported to have said that Malaysia risked losing almost RM30 billion in tourism revenue this year if it discriminates against tourists from China.

Meanwhile, the Bintulu MP emphasised that his ministry prioritised the safety and health of Malaysians, but it also needed to be balanced with economic factors which were also in the interest of the people and the country.

"So far, we have remained with the status quo and continue to monitor developments from time to time.

"If there is a change in the situation and urgent needs, of course, we will tighten the SOP," he said.

He said this based on the fact that the United States (US) recorded 99 million infections and 1.08 million deaths due to Covid-19, while China recorded 31,000 deaths with 10.16 million positive cases.

He said it was possible that neighbouring countries such as Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia have not tightened the entry of travellers from China due to that factor.

"At the same time, questions arose regarding the arrival of travellers from the US, Japan, Korea and France that also recorded a high number of infections.

"If we take into account China's population of 1.4 billion, the death rate from this epidemic is 0.002 percent.

“The number of Covid-19 infection cases in Malaysia is 5.02 million with 0.7 percent of deaths recorded," he said.

Tiong said any statement raised before was aimed to ensure that Malaysia did not discriminate against travellers from any country, including China.

He also said it was important to maintain diplomatic relations between Malaysia and foreign countries, especially Malaysia's trading partners.

"This issue of discrimination needs to be taken seriously. I also compare with countries other than China, which are also able to become countries at high risk of epidemic transmission in this country.

"Motac insists that the safety and health of the public is always a priority, but discriminating against any country should not happen because it not only affects diplomatic relations but also affects the country's economic growth, especially at a time when the country is recovering," he said.