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GEORGE TOWN: Penang’s tourism-driven economy is feeling the effects of the Covid-19 lockdowns in other parts of the country as the number of domestic tourists has dropped significantly.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the state’s tourism industry has felt a palpable drop with the ban on out-of-state travel from Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya due to the conditional movement control order (CMCO).
He said that while Penang returned to green or low levels of Covid-19 cases in recent months, the increase in the number of cases in other states has been detrimental to the state’s economy.
“As the country’s leading tourist destination, Penang has already seen the effects of placing Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya under CMCO.
“The impact has been tremendous on the local tourism industry. We cannot afford to have a fourth wave, as we would be affected, “he told a news conference in Komtar today.
Chow said he expects the Health Ministry to announce more Penang Covid-19 cases later today, saying the contributing figures are from the group of prisons on the island and on the mainland.
Previously, Chow awarded about RM1 million to 1,460 high school students as part of a scholarship program in which students would earn RM600 to RM840 each.
The program has benefited 11,000 students since 2008.
