‘Meeting to be held with Brunei to ease tourist arrivals’

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Abang Johari (right) talking to the press at the festival venue. On his right is Lee.

MIRI: Miri will host a high level government to government meeting to increase tourist arrivals into Malaysia, particularly Sarawak and Miri, and Brunei.

This was disclosed by Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg, saying a high level joint committee between Brunei and Sarawak had been formed to look into the mechanics of smooth and easy entry of tourists to both the state and the Sultanate.

“One of the issues that we are going to discuss is visa, meaning if Brunei issues visa to any tourist, especially outside Asean, they also can enter Malaysia, and in this case Sarawak. The same when Malaysia issues visa then the tourists can also visit Brunei,” Abang Johari told reporters.

Abang Johari, who was attending a Chinese New Year gathering here, made a brief stop to join the crowd at the inaugural Miri Country Music Festival held at ParkCity Everly Hotel.

Disclosing that the meeting would be held in April, he said the proposed common visa between Malaysia and Brunei was based on the agreement between Asean countries.

He said a pilot project for common visa is now implemented by Thailand and Cambodia whereby any tourist coming to Thailand need not have another visa to visit Cambodia.

“The same goes to Cambodia where they don’t have another visa to visit Thailand. So we are using this model. If we have this common visa there will be a free flow of tourists between Bandar Seri Begawan and Miri and for that matter, also Limbang,” he elaborated.

The minister expressed confidence that the common visa system would help to increase the volume of tourists coming to both countries.

“Visa is being discussed in detail because the matter involves Customs and Immigration departments of both countries.

“The stage now is early discussion and then in terms of how it is going to be managed between Brunei and Malaysia there will be a meeting in Miri sometime in April on this matter,” he said without elaborating.

The minister was accompanied by Assistant Minister of Communications Datuk Lee Kim Shin.