Na ri SIA collaboration will bene t to rism

THE cooperation between the Tourism and Culture Ministry and the Singapore Airlines (SIA) was aimed at bringing more tourists into Malaysia especially in conjunction with the 50th Asean anniversary next year.

Its minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said such cooperation was timely as the tourists using the SIA connecting flights would be encouraged to visit Malaysia.

“If we work together with SIA, many tourists coming to Singapore through SIA flights would be able to visit Malaysia.

“At the moment, SIA also has several direct flights to Kuching and Kota Kinabalu. This will allow tourists to visit our country as well,” he told Datuk Mahfuz Omar (PASPokok Sena) during question time.

Mahfuz had asked the ministry to state the reason why it wanted to hold a promotion with SIA and launch flights to certain cities.

Nazri said SIA subsidiary companies like Tiger Airways also have direct flights to smaller towns such as Malacca and Ipoh.

He said the ministry had to find other alternatives after Malaysia Airlines Berhad shut down several routes including Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Los Angeles, Dubai and Istanbul as part of its restructuring process.

“After the closure, it will be hard for us to promote Malaysia as a favourite destination,” he said.

Nazri said the ministry managed to bring 119 chartered flights with 18,217 passengers between the period of 2015 until February this year.

On a separate issue, Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said only 4.8% or 3,680 convictions were recorded out of 76,959 sex-related offences, child abuse and domestic violence cases over the past eight years.

He said of the 24,561 rape cases, 3,662 suspects were arrested with 548 suspects convicted between 2008 and January this year.

In a written reply to Teo Nie Ching (DAPKulai), he said a total of 2,603 incest cases were reported, with 459 suspects arrested resulting in 95 convictions.

If we work together with SIA, many to rists coming to Singapore thro gh SIA ights wo ld be able to visit Malaysia.

datuk Seri Nazri Aziz