Stop pointing fingers over tourism guide book error, says ex-Malacca CM

Former Malacca chief minister Idris Haron urged the state’s leaders not to point fingers at others after factual errors were discovered in the state’s tourism guidebook.

This is after Tourism, Heritage, Arts and Culture state executive councillor Abdul Razak Abdul said the guidebook was a reprint of the 2013 edition from nine years ago.

“Don’t point fingers at others. If there were mistakes in the past, people would have already pointed them out,” Idris said, commenting on the controversy surrounding factual errors in “Melaka: The Guide”.

Idris (above) was the chief minister at that time and also held the tourism portfolio.

When contacted by Malaysiakini yesterday, Idris said current leaders need to take responsibility for what has happened.

“If there are mistakes now, it’s the fault of those in charge now,” he explained.

He said this might not have happened if a review had been done before distribution.

Damaging the country’s image

Previously, on Awesome TV, Idris criticised the “flippant attitude” of the officers responsible for preparing the publication, which has tarnished the country’s image.

“I think if we don’t take seriously the process of naming streets, changing dates, facts, and so on, it can damage the country’s image and insult our intellectuals,” he explained.

The distribution of the book has now been temporarily halted to correct its factual errors.

Tourism Melaka has expressed regret and apologised.

Among the incorrect facts in the book is that the Portuguese were said to have come to Malacca in the 15th century, when in fact it happened in 1511, which is in the 16th century.

Similarly, the description of Princess Hang Li Po being “gifted” by China to Sultan Muzaffar Shah is incorrect, as the princess married his son Sultan Mansur Shah. - Mkini