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KOTA KINABALU: Revianna Jamlius, a mother of two, has earned a living for the past 15 years working as a dive master at Sabah’s famous Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park.
For the past few months, however, he has found himself cleaning dishes and cleaning tables at a cafe in Kota Kinabalu.
He still wears his company’s “dive instructor” t-shirt, but instead of a scuba tank strapped to his back, he’s holding a damp cloth and carrying a large bucket. It is not the life she imagined for herself.
In Sabah, which relies heavily on international tourism, she is just one of thousands of workers who have lost their livelihoods during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The issue of extending aid to stakeholders in the tourism industry, such as Jamlius, has emerged as a hot topic for candidates campaigning in the run-up to Sabah’s state elections on September 26.
Candidates from the current Warisan Plus coalition, as well as opposition parties, have recognized that the tourism industry must be saved. Some have outlined plans to help individuals and businesses during this difficult period.
Commenting on these efforts, Jamlius said: “Yes, this election is important to many of us. We want the next state government to be able to help us get our jobs back and restart the industry as soon as possible. “
LEE: As Sabah heads to the polls on September 26, what is at stake for the main political blocs?
“EXTREMELY CHALLENGING TIME” FOR THE TOURISM SECTOR
There is no doubt that the industry needs an urgent revival.
James Alin, an economist at the University of Malaysia Sabah, noted that around 70 percent of Sabah’s tourism market is driven by international tourists, unlike neighboring Sarawak state, which has a higher concentration of domestic visitors.
“I estimate that of the around 500,000 people who are currently unemployed in Malaysia, 200,000 are from Sabah, and many of them are affected by the tourism sector (recession),” Alin said.
The stretch along Jessleton Point from Kota Kinabalu, where many tour companies operate, has become deserted. The shutters were closed for most land and sea travel agencies, with some even displaying signs saying that store lots were available for rent.
Many travel agencies in Kota Kinabalu have not yet resumed operations. (Photo: Amir Yusof)
Wilsen Timangan, a guide who previously conducted tours for visitors to Kundasang city and climbing packages for Malaysia’s highest mountain, Mount Kinabalu, told CNA that he has had no income since March.
He added that the parking area for the starting point to climb the mountain, which would normally be full of buses in September, was now empty.
“It is really sad because there are thousands of guides and porters in Ranau who depend on tourism for money. Some of them have turned to agriculture to feed their families, ”Timangan said.
The tourism industry in Malaysia came to a sudden stop in March when the motion control order (MCO) was implemented. In the recovery phase of the MCO, domestic travel has been encouraged, but the road to recovery has been slow.
Tan Kok Liang, president of the Malaysian Tourism and Travel Agents Association, told CNA that Sabah has been one of the worst affected states, due to its dependence on international tourists from China and South Korea.
He noted that prior to the pandemic, Sabah had around 660 flights per week, but now it has dropped to 110.
“The tourism sector is facing an extremely challenging time due to the continued closure of the border … We cannot treat this phenomenon with a ‘business as usual’ attitude,” Tan said.
WARISAN PLUS LAUNCHES THE STIMULUS PACKAGE
On the fifth day of the campaign period for Sabah’s state elections, the state’s minister for tourism, culture and the environment, Christina Liew, unveiled a stimulus package of 2 million ringgit ($ 484,000) to boost tourism. national.
The package allows licensed tour operators to receive a subsidy of RM 50 per traveler for each tour with a minimum program of 3 days 2 nights in Sabah.
Sabah Chief Deputy Minister Christina Liew (center) posing with tourism industry stakeholders at the launch of a RM2 million stimulus package to boost domestic tourism. (Photo: Amir Yusof)
Liew, who is also Sabah’s chief deputy minister, is campaigning under the banner of Parti Keadilan Rakyat in the Warisan Plus coalition.
In an interview with CNA, Liew said the stimulus was introduced to boost domestic tourism, a potentially large market if the state government promotes it well.
“We cannot allow these tourism players to continue to suffer and wait for international tourism to resume. We want to show that the Warisan Plus state government (incumbent) is a supportive government and will help them. That is why these stimulus packages will be able to fulfill that purpose, ”Liew said on Thursday (September 17).
“Life will not be the same as before the COVID-19 pandemic but at least it helps … We are not sitting around doing nothing, this government is willing to listen,” he added.
MIXED REACTIONS
How effective is the stimulus package?
Tan, who is also the owner and director of Borneo Trails Tours and Travel, acknowledged that the stimulus package will be able to subsidize the additional costs incurred due to the implementation of health and safety protocols during the pandemic.
“Tour operators operate with low profit margins to keep the industry moving. The high cost of airfares is currently a major deterrent to attracting tourists to Sabah, ”he said.
However, Alin from the University of Malaysia Sabah told the CNA that the stimulus package could be losing its meaning. He said the money would be better used by giving it directly to the unemployed or by training and retraining them so they can be reallocated to other industries until tourism resumes.
“The stimulus package simply means spending taxpayer money. But spending is one thing, who do you spend it on? Does it reach the people who need it most? “said Alin.
“During this pivotal moment, taxpayers’ money may be wasted on a group segment in the industry that does not need immediate support,” he added.
Jesselton Point in Kota Kinabalu has become empty and silent since the COVID-19 pandemic affected travel in Sabah. (Photo: Amir Yusof)
In addition to Liew and Warisan Plus, other parties have also raised tourism as a key issue throughout the campaign.
In the 9-corner fight for the Api-Api seat where Liew is competing, one of his opponents, independent candidate Ng Chun Sua, reportedly said that tourism infrastructure is lacking in the state capital, Kota Kinabalu, and that the State government should do more Promote the city as a tourist destination.
The Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, which is under the opposition Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition, highlighted in its manifesto that it seeks to capitalize on Sabah’s natural beauty and rich culture to offer “higher value tourism products.”
Along the same lines, BN also highlighted that it would like to build an ecosystem to ensure that Sabah’s concert economy benefits locals, especially those in the tourism sector.
GRS also seeks to build on its close ties with the federal government. Malaysia’s Deputy Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Bakri, who is a member of the BN parliament, reportedly met with Sabah tourism stakeholders in a focus group session during the campaign period to better understand the challenges they face during the pandemic.
READ: Sabah State Elections: Prime Minister Muhyiddin Unveils ‘I Promise’ Manifesto to Extend More Aid Amid COVID-19
In addition, the head of one of the opposition parties, the Chong Kah Kiat Liberal Democratic Party, who is contesting Inanam’s seat, said that if elected, his party would like to revive Sabah’s tourism industry by linking up with airlines from international centers such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Jakarta and some cities in Australia.
Chong, who was the state’s prime minister, added that he would also work to develop Sabah as a preferred medical tourism destination.
Meanwhile, Warisan Plus’ Liew maintained that he is not resting on his laurels when it comes to restarting international tourism.
She told CNA that negotiations are underway with China’s Consul General in Kota Kinabalu, Liang Caide, to open travel bubbles between Sabah and China’s provinces that are considered “safe zones” from the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, he stressed that it was important that Warisan Plus be re-elected so that these negotiations could continue.
“When we are ready, we will discuss how this can be done. The (tourists) can come on charter flights or other specially organized commercial flights, ”Liew said.
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