Abang Johari fields questions from reporters at the open house today. Photo by Muhammad Rais Sanusi
KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said today that he was not informed of 3,000 tourists from China having cancelled their trips to Malaysia following the implementation of the tourism tax on July 1.
He indicated that it would be unfair for him to offer comments if he had no idea about the incident.
“I don’t know. I don’t know the details. I can’t comment if I don’t know the facts,” he said when met by reporters at his Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here.
He was prompted for comments on a news report which quoted Gracie Geikie as saying that 3,000 tourists from China had cancelled their trips to Malaysia because they would be expected to pay tourism tax estimated at about RM100,000.
Gracie, who is Malaysian Association of Convention Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers’ (MACEOS) acting vice president for conventions and PCM (professional conference management) trainer, yesterday told reporters in Miri about the cancellation.
According to her, a friend who is running a travel agency told her about the cancellation.