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news without borders
Three strategies to counter
drop in tourist arrivals
by Tan Yi Liang
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
PUTRAJAYA: The government will embark
on an aggressive marketing campaign to
promote tourism ahead of a predicted 10%
drop in tourist arrivals next year due to the
world economic situation and security issues
in some countries, Deputy Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak said yesterday.
Najib, who had earlier chaired a cabinet
committee on tourism meeting at the Prime
Minister’s Office, outlined three strategies
for implementation. They are:
» Target the Mice (meetings, incentives,
conferencing and exhibitions) market. To
this end, the cabinet has approved a Ma-
laysian Convention and Exhibition Bureau
proposed by the Tourism Ministry, which
will be a one-stop centre for those who
wish to organise Mice events here. The
bureau will give “customised incentives”
MTUC seeks urgent
meeting with Najib
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Trades
Union Congress (MTUC) yesterday sought
an urgent meeting with Finance Minister
Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak to discuss the
impact of the reduction in employees’ EPF
contribution from 11% to 8%.
A letter seeking the meeting was sent to
Najib early yesterday, MTUC secretary-gen-
eral G. Rajasekaran said, adding the congress
wanted to convey views expressed by its 230
affiliated unions to the government.
The 3% cut is voluntary as those who wished
to maintain their contribution at 11% can do so
in writing by filling the appropriate forms. “We
want this procedure to be reversed, where
employers should maintain the 11% deduction,
but give an employee an option if he wished to
reduce his contribution.” – Bernama
to groups intending to use Malaysia for
high-impact or large conventions.
Najib said the bureau will be given a
launching grant of RM5 million.
» Revamp the “Malaysia My Second
Home” campaign, by addressing complaints
received to date.
“The cabinet committee has agreed that
the ministry prepare a cabinet paper with
the aim of making the programme more
attractive and effective.
“There are several constraints, one of
them being that those involved are not
allowed to work in Malaysia, even on a part-
time basis. There are also restrictions on their
investments in Malaysia,” said Najib, adding
these were among the complaints received.
» Promotions in the fields of health and
eco-tourism.
“We have asked that promotions be
increased and streamlined, and we will
also focus, promote and develop eco-
UiTM lecturer, student
killed in NZ crash
KUALA LUMPUR: A lecturer and a female
student of Universiti Teknologi Mara
(UiTM) were killed and four others in-
jured in a road accident in New Zealand
yesterday.
Assistant Vice-Chancellor at UiTM’s
Corporate and Communications Depart-
ment, Assoc Prof Dr Ahmad Redzuan Abd
Rahman, told Bernama the victims were
on a 10-day study trip to several universi-
ties in New Zealand and also to complete
a photography project there.
Those killed were Shafiee Ahmad, 51,
the deputy dean of Student Affairs at
the Communications and Media Studies
Faculty, who was from Taiping, Perak but
was residing in Shah Alam, and Mariyam
Sakinah Ahmad, 21, a second year broad-
theSun | THURSDAY DECEMBER 4 2008
tourism so it is more effective,” he said.
Najib said Malaysia will have 22 million
tourist arrivals this year, which is about
500,000 short of the original target. He
said with the additional effort next year, the
country expects about 20 million arrivals.
“If there are no additional efforts, there
will be about 18 million (arrivals). We will try
to target 20 million arrivals,” he said.
“In 1996, when there was the economic
crisis, there was a drop in tourist numbers
by 4.42%, and in 1997, because of the eco-
nomic crisis, the haze and dengue, we had Abdullah tries his hand at
a 12.99% drop. So, it is very much linked to Ski-Doo, a snowmobile which
security, health and economic conditions.” had its engine developed by
Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Oth- Petronas, at the conference.
man said Malaysia had expected to earn
RM44 billion in foreign exchange from the
projected entry of 22 million tourists this
year, but because of the lower projected
arrivals of 20 million, it has to revise the
PM warns of challenging
expected earnings to earn RM40 billion.
times for oil, gas players
by Tim Leonard is to promote energy security
casting student of Pinang Jawa, Kuching,
Sarawak. newsdesk@thesundaily through new models of coop-
eration, as energy security must
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minis- be based on a collective effort
Govt reviewing Domestic ter Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad among all nations.
Violence Act, says Ng Badawi yesterday urged oil and “The second is investing
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is reviewing its gas players to become more and pushing the boundaries
Domestic Violence Act 1994 with the aim of competitive to face the challeng- of technology and innovation
expanding the scope of domestic violence ing economic climate. further to ensure the long-term
definition and extending the duration of “It is becoming increasingly sustainability of the oil and gas
interim protection. clear that the world will be grap- industry.”
A statement by the Women, Family and pling with the repercussions Abdullah said the third
Community Development Ministry yesterday of the current crisis for years challenge is human capital
said its minister, Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen, told to come and this will pose development and the need for
a gender equality conference in Switzerland a daunting challenge for the long-term planning, as there is
that amendments would be made so that industries and businesses the a critical shortage of capable
the definition of domestic violence would be world over, especially the oil human capital.
expanded to include emotional, mental and and gas industry,” Abdullah said “Time is of the essence and
psychological abuse and the usage of drugs at the International Petroleum the oil and gas industry must
and intoxicating substances without the Technology Conference here. ensure these important initia-
consent of victims. – Bernama He said the first challenge tives are put in place now.”