KOTA BARU, March 14 — A working paper on assisting the tourism sector still adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic needs to be prepared and presented to the Economic Action Council (EAC).

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economic Affairs), Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed who said this, noted that while some sectors like services, manufacturing, agriculture and construction, had resumed operations and showing signs of recovery, the tourism operators were still much impacted by the pandemic.

"We’ve heard many times the issues beleaguering the tourism sector which were raised by the Tourism Minister including during the Cabinet meetings.

"The time has come for a working paper on the matter be prepared, led by the Tourism Minister and to be presented to the EAC so that we can hear the latest on the tourism sector,” he said at a news conference after chairing a meeting with Kelantan hotel and bus operators, here, today.

Also present were state Community Unity, Culture, Heritage and Tourism Committee chairman, Major (R) Datuk Md Anizam Abdul Rahman and Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry’s Kelantan Office director, Mohd Aidil Afizi Daud.

On the almost two-hour meeting, Mustapa said it was an important meeting where he was representing the federal government for the EAC secretariat to obtain feedback on problems faced by tourism operators in Kelantan while the country was preparing for the economic recovery phase.

"Some are long-known issues like the request for a moratorium specifically for the tourism sector while some are new issues like asking for special consideration be given in the vaccination programme, to what are regarded as frontliners in the tourism sector,” he added.

Mustapa said all suggestions received at the meeting would be brought to the EAC. — Bernama