PUTRAJAYA, June 11 — The Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association (Mita) has appealed for the government to consider expanding the targeted diesel subsidies to tour bus operators.
Its president Leong Hoon Min said the subsidy implementation, which has resulted in increased diesel prices, also caused the operating costs of tour buses to increase dramatically, thereby burdening the operators.
“The RM1.20 diesel price increase is too burdening for us, affecting the price of pre-booked tour packages, which may face cancellation.
“Everybody knows that the tourism industry is just gradually recovering from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic,” she said during a press conference today.
Leong added that the government’s decision not to include tour bus operators in implementing the subsidy was quite ‘shocking’.
Sharing the sentiment was the chairman of the Peninsular Malaysia Tour Bus Operators’ Association Chong Sin Wah, who said the increase in diesel prices may indirectly contribute to the decline of tourism in the country.
“Quotations for tour packages and contracts that have been issued to customers this month cannot be withdrawn because full payment had already been made,” he said.
Earlier, Leong and Chong, together with more than 20 tour bus operators, submitted a letter of appeal regarding the diesel subsidy application to Tourism, Arts, and Culture (Motac) Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing at the Motac building here.
The letter was received by the ministry’s deputy secretary-general (culture) Mohd Yusri Mohd Yusoff.
The price of diesel in the peninsula was set at RM3.35 per litre starting yesterday following the implementation of the targeted diesel subsidy method.
— Bernama
