Christina Liew
KOTA KINABALU (Feb 3): The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment (KePKAS) is committed to ensuring that all visitors to Sabah’s tourism sites, including Masjid Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu (MBR), have a safe and pleasant experience.
Its minister, Datuk Seri Christina Liew, gave the assurance in the wake of a recent incident at MBR involving visitor restrictions.
She urged all stakeholders to work together in making MBR a welcoming and well-managed tourist attraction.
“We take tourism management issues at Masjid Bandaraya seriously and are actively engaging with relevant stakeholders to address recent concerns. It is crucial that all service providers, including transport operators and tour guides, uphold high standards, particularly in terms of safety, visitor experience and cleanliness,” Liew said in a statement on Monday.
Parti Warisan Sabah vice president Junz Wong recently shared a video on his Facebook page, which he said was shared by a tour guide, of a video which shows a person scolding a group of tourists in front of Masjid Bandaraya and repeatedly threatening to call the police.
Junz urged the relevant ministry and authorities to take stern rectification actions against bad behaviour by tourism related workers here and make sure that they are trained to treat tourists with good manners and attitude.
This is the second such incident to occur in front of the mosque recently, as Sabah exco for religious affairs Datuk Dr Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif had also reportedly commented on January 25 of another viral video showing tourists allegedly harrased by Masjid Bandaraya staff who told them that they have to pay to take pictures at the iconic house of worship.
Liew also said KEPKAS remains committed to fostering collaboration between the tourism industry and local authorities to maintain Sabah’s reputation as a world-class travel destination, she added.
According to her, the Sabah Tourism Board (STB), through its Industrial Support Committee (ISC), held a meeting with Masjid Bandaraya’s Tourism Management Team on January 28 to discuss the matter.
The meeting addressed key issues such as concerns over free independent travellers arriving via e-hailing services and taking photos in unsafe locations; the need for improved safety measures, including the installation of warning signage in key areas; and revising and updating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) at MBR to ensure clear guidelines for all visitors and stakeholders.
Liew said KEPKAS through the STB will implement a number of proposed proactive measures, including stakeholder engagement and revised SOPs, to enhance visitor management at MBR.
“Towards this end, an engagement session will be held this month, involving MBR, tour operators, licensed tour guides, e-hailing providers, and government agencies such as the Public Works Department (JKR), Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK), Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), and Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC). During this session, we will brief stakeholders on the revised SOPs and gather feedback to refine visitor management strategies.”
As for improved transportation management, the minister said STB will work with e-hailing service providers to ensure proper drop-off and pick-up protocols at MBR. “The proposal for a designated drop-off zone for tour buses will be discussed with JKR to enhance traffic flow and visitor convenience.”
On the pressing need to address illegal transport services, Liew said the relevant authorities will take stern action against illegal transport providers, such as unauthorised white vans, to ensure compliance with tourism regulations.
Two other proposed proactive measures are uniform standards for staff, and training and infrastructure improvements whereby MBR will conduct customer service and communication training for its front-line staff to improve visitor interactions. Plans are underway to construct a dedicated public toilet for tourists, according to the minister.
All front-line personnel at MBR will be required to wear proper uniforms to ensure they are easily identifiable and accessible to visitors, Liew said.
“With these measures, we aim to improve the overall experience for visitors to Masjid Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu while ensuring that safety, service quality, and tourism regulations are observed,” she added.
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