Initiate dialogue with tourism players on illegal guides, ministry urged
KOTA KINABALU: The Ministry of Tourism and Culture (MOTAC) Sabah has been urged to initiate a dialogue with tourism players and not resort to issuing threats over a protest against illegal tour guides from China.
Likas assemblyman Junz Wong said the ministry should get to the root of the problem by listening to both sides to understand why the tour guides had resorted to holding a protest against illegal tour guides from China.
“It is easy to dismiss their concerns without truly investigating the matter and portraying the tour associations as the bad guys,” he said when commenting on MOTAC Sabah director Ag Ahmad Zaki Abu Bakar’s statement that those involved in the protest risked losing their licences.
Junz, who is also Warisan vice president, said the ministry should show strong political will to fully investigate the issue and find a fair solution to the problem.
DAP Sabah chief Stephen Wong Tien Fatt yesterday called on the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia, Sabah Office not to suppress the local tour guides.
“It is unnecessary for the ministry to take such severe action against local tour guides who just wanted to voice out their problems as well as difficulties.
“Instead, the ministry should meet these tour guides and their leaders in STGA (Sabah Tour Guides Association) to find a winwin solution to resolve this issue,” said Wong, who is also Sandakan MP.
“Be reminded that freedom of assembly is safeguarded in the constitution. Therefore I urge the ministry to listen to their voices and address the real issue instead of ignoring their problems.
“There are demands and issues raised by local tour guides regarding foreign tour guides claimed to be illegally working here.
“This is a serious issue. I hope the government would look into these claims and sit down with involved players to find a way out.
“I don’t think suppressing their voices by revoking their licences without listening to them is a reasonable and right move,” he said.
Wong said since tourism was a dynamic industry which was creating billions of ringgit, the wealth and opportunity should be shared with the local people so that they could enjoy a better life.
“I hope this issue will not jeopardize any industry players, including the local tour guides as well as the entire tourism industry,” he said.
A group of Sabah tour guides staged a protest against the China tour guides at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport just after midnight on July 15.
The protest resulted in three illegal tour guides fleeing the airport and leaving their big group of tourists stranded.