A MINISTER WHO SPOKE TOO MUCH

Former Tourism Minister

Tourism Minister Ng Yen Yen's remarked on March 6, this year that it was safe for tourists to visit Sabah was being questioned by Pakatan MPs in parliament.In fact the industry was also asking what business has she got to do with the security of the country. It is not the duty of the Tourism Minister to assure the safety of tourists, but the police and relevant authorities, two opposition members of parliament raised this is Dewan Rakyat..

Rasah MP and state assemblyman for Lobak, Anthony Loke said Tourism Minister Ng Yen Yen should not be issuing statements that Sabah was safe for tourists as the advisory can only be issued by the police or the military, who had a better take on the issue at hand.

He said this while commenting on Ng’s statement yesterday that Sabah was safe for tourists and that the state was not effected by the Lahd Datu incident.

“Any travel advisory must be issued by the relevant parties. Any comment on the status of safety and security of the tourists should come from the police and IGP instead of the Tourism Ministry as they are in a better position to comment on this,” the DAP Youth chief said.

“The government should keep tourists informed on the happenings and outcomes to avoid them from having false judgment on the current crisis.

“Tourists will be definitely worried about their safety and it is an irresponsible statement to say as such. Tourists will also fear that they will be held as hostages,” he added.

Ng Yen Yen however had said that there was no reason for tourists to feel unsafe in any part of Sabah including Sipadan, the world famous diving spot that lures thousands of foreigners each year.