Published on: Wednesday, December 29, 2004 |
Kuala Lumpur: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the Malaysian economy has not been adversely affected by the tsunami although there will be a temporary setback to the tourism industry, particularly in the affected northern states.
"As far as the economic impact is concerned, I think it is manageable, it is not that adverse in terms of the impact to the Malaysian economy," said Najib, who is chairman of the National Disaster Management and Relief Committee.
"There might be some setback to the tourism industry, particularly to those part of the country (in the north) that were affected by the tsunami but I believe it is going to be a temporary setback," he told reporters after launching the Second Felda Entrepreneur Expo and Symposium (Simex II) and 'Felda Herba' products at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), here, Tuesday.
Najib, who made a ground visit to the affected areas on Monday, said Malaysia had generally been able to manage the situation and that it "did not get the full brunt of the tsunami."
Even in the popular holiday destination of Pulau Langkawi, there was no report of tourists falling victim in the catastrophe.
As at noon Tuesday, the Malaysian Control Centre in Bukit Aman said the death toll of Sunday's tsunami, which hit the coastlines from Perlis to Selangor, has risen to 63.
Twenty-six people have been reported missing while 183 people were injured.
Of the death toll, 49 were reported in Penang, 10 in Kedah, three in Perak and one in Selangor. Those injured comprised 108 in Penang, 72 in Kedah and three in Perak.
Asked on the number of Malaysians killed by the disaster in the other affected countries, Najib said he had yet to receive a full report on the matter.
"It is too early to say, they are still in the state of flux to know and to obtain details of those killed particularly in Phuket. We believe there are Malaysians holidaying in Phuket and were affected by the tsunami," he said.
He said the Government would have to wait for a report from the Thai authorities on Malaysians reported killed in Phuket, a popular tourist destination.
On the position of residents in the coastal areas, he said they must remain in the evacuation centres until the declaration by the authorities that the situation was safe for them to return home.
He said the authorities were monitoring the aftershocks of the earthquake in north-west Sumatra which result in the tsunami.
"When the aftershocks have weakened, that is, registering below 4.5 on the Richter scale, only then can we feel more confident that another tsunami will not occur," he said.
Asked on whether the evacuated residents would be moved from schools where they were seeking shelter when schools reopen on Jan 2 in Kedah and Jan 3 in Penang, Najib said he hoped that they would be able to return home before the new school session begins.
"We'll need to make some adjustment... maybe before schools reopen, they could move back (to their respective houses)," he said.
About 3,500 coastal residents have been evacuated in Kedah and some 800 in Penang.- Bernama
