PETALING JAYA: Tiong King Sing, the minister of tourism, arts, and culture, has apologized to Chinese visitors for instances in which they encountered “unpleasant” circumstances while visiting Malaysia.
Tiong acknowledged the plight of Chinese visitors during his remarks yesterday at the 2024 China International Travel Mart in Shanghai.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is monitoring this situation closely. He has directed the appropriate authorities to tighten safety regulations for tourists and ensure that every guest has a positive and unforgettable stay.
According to a copy of the speech text that the media was given, he stated, “I sincerely apologise for any shortcomings and offer our deepest apologies to the Chinese tourists affected.”
However, no specific incidents or flaws that Chinese visitors had expressed dissatisfaction with during their trip to Malaysia were mentioned in the statement.
Additionally, Tiong reaffirmed the government’s commitment to enhancing visitor experiences and tourism safety.
He declared, “We will continue to work closely with all parties involved to improve our tourism services and the overall visitor experience.”
To bring in five million Chinese visitors by 2024, the minister has been aggressively marketing Malaysia as a top travel destination for Chinese nationals.
As of June 2024, 1,449,711 Chinese tourists arrived in Malaysia, a 190.8% increase from the same time in 2023.
Tiong has also frequently expressed worries about problems that Chinese tourists have in Malaysia. In the past, he warned the Dewan Rakyat that some Perikatan Nasional (PN) officials’ racist comments made them reluctant to travel there.
He recently called the outcry over the incident involving the Chinese flag in Teluk Intan, Perak, an “overreaction” that implies Malaysia is inhospitable to foreign visitors at cultural gatherings – FMT
