PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) has urged health minister Dr Adham Baba to relook current statistics and data before deciding whether to maintain the ban on interstate and inter-district travel.
MAH chief executive Yap Lip Seng said that Adham’s recent recommendation to extend the ban beyond the current movement control order (MCO) was “not a balanced decision” and hoped he would discuss the matter with the tourism, arts and culture ministry.
“Having suffered over RM6.5 billion in losses of revenue last year, the hotel industry was again crippled by the MCO in early January 2021, with more hotels closing and more employees being retrenched,” said Yap.
“An extended interstate travel ban would force more into closures.”
Adham yesterday proposed that the ban on interstate and inter-district travel remain in place after Feb 18, when the current MCO is scheduled to be lifted, in order to help curb the spread of Covid-19.
Yap said the tourism industry has operated in full compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs) since the first MCO last March.
He said the hotel sector had even introduced its own hygiene and safety certification, the “Clean & Safe Malaysia” label, which incorporates standards beyond the base requirements of health authorities.
Yap also requested the health ministry to extend the SOPs for special clearance and shorter quarantine periods approved for ministers to other business travellers from overseas.
He said this would contribute to the country’s economy.
“If the health ministry is confident of such SOPs, it should also serve the business community and encourage investments,” said Yap.
On Monday, Adham had announced that Cabinet ministers who return from official visits abroad are only required to undergo observation for three days. - FMT
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