KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 23 — Malaysian Tourism Promotion Board (Tourism Malaysia) director-general (D-G) Datuk Ammar Abd Ghapar confirmed that he has been removed from his post with effect from Monday.

Speaking to Malay Mail, Ammar said that he only received a letter from Tourism, Arts, and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing this morning.

"The letter just says effective February 26, I am no longer the D-G. It does not say anything else. Transferred to where, holding what post, what grade,” he explained.

"I have no intention of going against any directive or instructions given to me... but I feel very frustrated and sad. I think that after serving for 36 years, (with) the experiences that I have got, I should not be treated this way,” he said.

Ammar is due for retirement next year, on February 17.

Malay Mail also reached out to Tiong and is awaiting his response.

Ammar was appointed as Tourism Malaysia D-G on April 12 last year.

Prior to that, he was the senior director of Tourism Malaysia’s International Promotion Division (Americas, Europe and Oceania).

National news agency Bernama reported that Ammar had also served as the senior director of management, and had also led the Strategic Planning Division as well as Tourism Malaysia’s Domestic and Events Division.

Throughout his career, he had also held significant roles such as the finance division director and foreign affairs director in Osaka, Japan, and Moscow, Russia, respectively, in 1999 and 2008. Additionally, he served as the state director of Tourism Malaysia for Kedah/Perlis in 2005.

In 2021, Ammar led the Secretariat of the Travel Bubble Task Force, aimed at revitalising the tourism industry, which was heavily impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.