JOHOR BARU, May 1 — The state government’s intention to reopen the medical tourism sector through the setting up of a special committee has not been implemented following constraints from the closure of international borders due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

State Tourism, Youth and Sports Committee chairman Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi however said a plan in that direction has been activated and it is now in the final stage of study on its implementation.

"We all know in this Covid-19 pandemic, the tourism sector is the first to be affected in Johor and it is also the last to be restored.

"Nonetheless at state level, Johor has opened tourism for the domestic market but so long as the international border is not open, tourists will not be allowed into our country. So we have to postpone first (reviving medical tourism),” he told reporters after officiating the Southern Volunteers Grab Your Bubur programme here today.

He was commenting on the development of the Johor Medical Tourism Committee by the state government to promote Johor as a regional medical hub.

Commenting further, Onn Hafiz said a meeting with industry players to discuss medical tourism prospects had been held twice and now the state government only needed time to activate the committee.

Meanwhile, the programme saw 250 Southern Volunteers put up 15,000 packets of bubur lambuk in community spirit for distribution to 31 Ramadan bazaars in Johor Baru. — Bernama