The Tourism Ministry takes the issue of forced sharing of rooms between opposite sexes in the tourism industry seriously, says Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen.
But since the ban was imposed in 2009, the ministry has not received a single official complaint from tourist guides or drivers on this.
“I appeal to all, especially tour guide associations, to report to us any cases. We are here to help. We are here to work with them. If the tour guides dare not report, the association has a duty to report to us. We want to know what's going on,” she says after a meeting with tour guide associations, travel agencies and tour operators.
Dr Ng reveals that the ministry has set up a task force headed by its deputy secretary-general with representatives from the tourism industry to review the issue of room-sharing and find effective ways to ensure a healthy tourism industry. The issue of room-sharing became a hot topic recently when a female tour guide claimed she was forced to share a room with the male driver who sexually harassed her.
The ministry carried out an inquiry but found that the female tour guide had not been forced into sharing the room. However, Dr Ng adds that if the female guide was not happy with the finding, she could appeal for the case to be reviewed.
As for the alleged sexual harassment, Dr Ng says the guide showed the ministry's inquiry team a letter of apology from the driver concerned.
She adds that the ministry would file a police report unless the guide, who has not lodged a report, asks the ministry in writing not to do so. Sexual harassment is a criminal offence and thus a police case.
Meanwhile, the ministry's legal department will review the possibility of amending article 13 of the Tourism Act to make it the responsibility of tour operators and travel agencies to make sure that employees of different genders are not forced to share a room, she says.
On the Malaysian Women's Tour Guide Association's call for an assurance that female tour guides and female bus drivers would not be penalised for reporting on room-sharing, Dr Ng says that although the Federal Constitution already protects against gender discrimination, she has no problems allowing this to be reflected in the Tourism Act “if it brings better comfort and confidence” to tour guides.
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