LOCAL tour guides who follow the rules are losing ground to illegal operators, said Samuel Wong Tshun Chuen (Warisan-Luyang), who called for a dedicated tourism enforcement task force.
“The State Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry should form its own enforcement team working closely with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, the Immigration Department, police, the Road Transport Department and the Companies Commission of Malaysia,” he said.
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He said the team could be deployed in tourist hotspots such as Kota Kinabalu, Kundasang, Semporna and Sandakan to check on tour guides, vans, buses, activity operators and tourism businesses.
This would strengthen enforcement against illegal foreign operators while protecting local operators who comply with the law and pay taxes, he added.
“Visit Sabah Year 2027 should not only increase tourist arrivals, it should also increase opportunities and incomes for Sabah’s local tourism players. “How will the Government help our local players take advantage of the rise in tourist numbers?” he said.
Wong also called on the State Government to prioritise water pipe upgrades under the RM1.6 billion supplementary budget, saying families in his constituency have grown used to restaurants closing early and taps running dry due to leaking pipes and low water pressure.
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“When water supply is cut off, residents’ daily lives are disrupted, businesses are affected and restaurants cannot operate as usual. This situation can no longer be treated as normal,” he said, questioning how the RM200 million additional allocation to the Sabah Water Department would be spent.
“How many kilometres of ageing pipes will be replaced? How many areas will enjoy more stable water pressure? The people want to see results, not just an increase in allocation,” he said.
He also raised concerns over frequent power trips affecting residents in Lintas, Taman Jindo, Luyang Health Clinic and other Luyang neighbourhoods and urged the State Government to fast-track upgrades to ageing electricity infrastructure.
“The people expect a stable and reliable electricity supply. Yet ironically, as electricity bills continue to rise, disruptions still occur. Power disruptions are not just an inconvenience to daily life.
They cause damage to electrical appliances, disrupt business operations and affect investor confidence in our State’s basic infrastructure,” he said.
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