KOTA KINABALU: The recent announcement regarding the changing of Movement Control Order (MCO) to Conditional MCO (CMCO) for Sabah is welcomed but the intention to continue interstate travel ban is of concern.
Alexander Yee, the President of Kinabatangan Corridor of Life Tourism Operator Association (KITA) stated that past experiences with limited inter state travel where obtaining authorization letters from company with police approval was needed, had proven effective to curb the spread.
“We certainly ask that this be continued,” he said.
He however added that banning of interstate travel has had a very detrimental effect on their business.
“We are in the tourism industry. Sabah has a small domestic population base, spread across the second largest state of Malaysia. With a interstate or inter district travel ban, the already low unsustainable population will not be able to support local businesses,” he stressed.
“To continue the current good work but to increase reminders and media awareness of the effectiveness of steps taken. Also to increased coverage on penalty belted out on offenders so as to deter them from not following SOPs,” he said.
On future plans the authorities should take to ensure recovery of the tourism industry in Sabah, he said, these activities should be divided to domestic and international.
“Domestic might not be the low lying fruits since a good percentage of the population have been affected financially. Marketing activities targeting at major Malaysian cities and at the civil servants segment can be look into. Major cities occupants have more spending power and civil servants have been insulated from this pandemic in financial terms,” he opined.
Internationally, extra marketing funds will have to be channel to countries that have visited Sabah traditionally. Keeping in mind that every other countries will be doing similar luring efforts, creativity in marketing will be the name of the game, he concluded.
Meanwhile, Lesaya Sorudim a freelance journalist for an economic research institute and English Centre News Portal is of the opinion that Inter-district travel ban should be lifted if the rate of infection is below manageable level.
“I am not doing business that is affected directly by the MCO; but I noticed small-scale businesses have been badly affected some have close shops for good and hope to resume business after the Pandemic is over,” he said.
“The present norm have not actually curb the pandemic as people tend to break SOP that are in place. The government must strive to provide vaccines at the earliest possible; they must also give allocation to provide people with vitamin supplements; strong and healthy bodies can actually help fight the virus.”
On Inter state travel, he said, it should be allowed for those who have been vaccinated and even then SOP must be enforced especially for gatherings.
In future, foreigners who can provide proof of being vaccinated with a card or anything (of proof), should be allowed into the country. This ensures that all in-coming travellers are vaccinated before travelling into this country.
Recently, Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said although most states would be placed under the conditional MCO (CMCO) and the recovery MCO (RMCO), interstate and inter-district travel was still not allowed.
Sabah is under Conditional MCO (CMCO) effective February 19 to March 4.-BNN
