Cancellations after Nazri's remarks
Published on: Friday, November 21, 2014
KOTA KINABALU: Disparaging remarks made by Federal Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz have worsened the tourism situation in Sabah the past few days and players demand that he quickly rectify the statement attributed to him before it kills the State tourism industry.There is also a suggestion that he should, perhaps, hand over his duties to someone more competent and mindful about making sensitive statements.According to Sabah Backpacker Operators Association President Richie Lee, bookings for next month and next year have dropped by 20 per cent in just two days since the Minister's statement that Sabah is unsafe to visit over the Abu Sayyaf-linked kidnapping incidents.
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They now fear their overseas agents and customers would also cancel their bookings to come to Sabah.Lee said Nazri's claims had also caused the occupancy rate in Sabah to further go down from its current worrying level. "Before the statement, the occupancy rate was already bad and no thanks to him (Nazri) it is now getting worse. "For instance, the occupancy rate for Semporna is now at 60 per cent while the rate for Kota Kinabalu is between 55 and 60 per cent and 50 per cent for Sandakan," Lee told a press conference at Borneo Beach House Backpackers at Tanjung Aru, Thursday.
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"After his statement spread worldwide, I received about 60 to 70 calls the past two days not only from association members but also repeat customers and agents flooding me with many enquiries. "They asked what was going on here in Sabah after we did our aggressive marketing to restore the confidence of our customers and agents overseas that Sabah is safe to visit as the Government has continuously been making efforts to assure the safety of tourists while in the State," he said.
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"Who do you think they will believe…me or the Federal Tourism Minister talking about the safety of tourists in Sabah? Obviously it would be Nazri. We will look as if we are conmen and lying to them about the real situation in Sabah."He described Nazri's statement as being way out of order and very irresponsible given that the State's tourism is only now slightly picking up after being affected by the missing MH370 and the kidnapping cases in Sabah.He said they were shocked and saddened by Nazri's statement, which they feel was tantamount to stabbing the tourism industry in Sabah."We demand Nazri rectify his statement immediately because he has made a totally wrong statement over the whole tourism situation in Sabah."He has thoroughly overlooked other positive perspectives and the government initiatives and that of State tourism authorities as well as our efforts to complement the efforts to restore tourists' confidence to visit Sabah."Even the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar refuted Nazri's statement as there are many tourists in Sabah."Plus, the United States Ambassador to Malaysia and his wife recently spent the night in Lahad Datu on the way to Danum Valley which proved that this foreign ambassador has full confidence in our security forces guarding the safety of tourists in Lahad Datu," he said."We are very unhappy with Nazri for his illogical statement … it is as if he is out to blacklist us, the backpacker operators and other tourism players in Sabah."Do we expect this from a Federal leader like him (Nazri) when he should be in the front line… it seems that he is taking a U-turn when Malaysia is shouting the 1Malaysia slogan," he said.Lee said Nazri should emulate the leadership of the State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun in implementing measures and strategies to improve the market for Sabah's tourism."We are open to constructive criticisms from ministers and political leaders but not the statement of Nazri that is totally wrong."If he has nothing to say, he should just shut up. And if he could not handle the pressure and could not bear the challenging responsibilities, then I believe he should think about giving the post to other leaders who could do better job than him," he said.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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