Cleanliness is crucial for tourism, says Nazri
GEORGE TOWN: The cleanliness of a country is important when attracting tourists and to avoid giving them a poor impression, said Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.
This is especially so with Penang, which is seen as a culinary haven, he said.
“If the place is dirty, the impression is that we are a dirty country.
“If the place where the food is served is unhygienic, tourists will feel that they are getting food that is not clean.
“Malaysians are clean but we need to make sure our surroundings are also kept clean,” he said at the Tourism Malaysia Chinese New Year celebrations at the Esplanade here on Friday.
Nazri cited the case of Japanese reporters who congregated at Hospital Kuala Lumpur for the coverage of the Kim Jongnam murder.
A Bernama reporter had observed that these Japanese pressmen, when their day ended, went about collecting garbage in the compound where they had gathered.
Nazri said Malaysians needed to show that they lived in a country that cultivates cleanliness.
As for George Town and Malacca which were Unesco Heritage Sites, he said: “If we do not want to lose our place in the list, we need to ensure the conservation of the heritage buildings.
“This is what attracts tourists.”