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Monday, July 4, 2011

‘Rally will cost us RM1 billion’

Tourism Minister Dr Ng Yen Yen says the Bersih rally will spook both foreign and local tourists. She urges the people not to participate.

KUALA LUMPUR: Bersih 2.0′s July 9 rally will spook tourists and cost the nation to lose RM1 billion in tourism revenue, said Tourism Minister Dr Ng Yen Yen today.

“These rallies will result in tourism-related sectors losing three days of business because people are scared to come out,” she said, adding that people would remain indoors the day before the rally, on the day of the rally and the next day.

She said that in July 2010, Malaysia had seen RM6 billion worth of international tourism and 2.2 million tourists.

“Three days out of a month will cost the industry RM600 million. And that’s just international, add in local and it’s easily RM1 billion,” she told reporters after launching the 1Malaysia International Tourism Night Floral Parade 2011, which would begin on July 9 and end on July 17.

Ng urged Malaysians not to take part in the rally, saying the country was gaining a bad reputation among international tourists who were too scared to visit.

“The see us like Syria or Myanmar. Let us live in harmony. If there is a problem, why can’t we negotiate?” she asked, telling reporters that the Chinese Tourism Board had sent officials to gauge the stability of Malaysia to ensure it was safe to visit.

She added that studies had shown the ripple effect of a rally would last up to six months, using the example of Thailand, which had spent billions promoting tourism despite a volatile political atmosphere.

The Bersih march for clean and fair elections had met opposition from several sectors, with Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak calling it a plot by the opposition to “wrest back political momentum from Barisan Nasional.”

‘A private-public sharing of costs’

Speaking on the floral parade, the tourism minister said the participants included Resort World Genting, YTL, Tourism Malaysia, Sunway Group and Air Asia; as well as Malacca, Perlis, Terengganu, Perak, Johor, Pahang and Putrajaya.

“The most expensive floats are from the private sector,” she said, explaining that the cost of the floats would be borne by private companies and the states involved.

“We are also still finalising the cost of the fireworks, and will make sure it is all as minimal as possible,” she promised.

The MCA vice-president recently came under fire when it was revealed that her ministry had spent a whopping RM1,758,432 on developing six Facebook pages to promote tourism.

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