by ANIS HAZIM / Pic by MUHD AMIN NAHARUL

THE National Recovery Council (NRC) is proposing the government to formulate initiatives and assistance to increase the capacity of tourism industry players affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Its chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin said some factors such as new Covid-19 variants and global political instability could threaten the industry’s recovery process.

“NRC has discussed Tourism Malaysia’s proposal and basically supported its immediate implementation to further strengthen the sector’s recovery,” Muhyiddin said in a press conference after the NRC meeting today.

Additionally, Tourism Malaysia sees room for the sector to improve, supported by the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme and the reopening of the international borders.

Despite the border reopening, Muhyiddin noted that Malaysia lost approximately three million Chinese tourists due to China’s zero-Covid restrictions.

However, Malaysia is taking proactive measures by reopening its borders and relaxing restrictions for international travellers.

Nevertheless, he said Malaysia should closely monitor the war in Ukraine and the Covid-19 in China with the risk of a prolonged lockdown and the emergence of new Covid-19 variants.

As of now, citing Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar, Muhyiddin said Malaysia’s Covid-19 situation is still under control.  

“The situation is not alarming, our public hospitals are not facing serious stress and the conditions are normal,” he added.