MIRI: The government remains committed to making Malaysia a top tourist destination, said Pakatan Harapan (PH) Sarawak secretary Senator Alan Ling.
“Among the Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) 2020 programmes, Malaysia will host the ‘Malaysia Year of Healthcare Travel 2020’ to solidify the country’s leading position as a medical tourist destination in the region,” he pointed out during a Christmas tree-lighting ceremony on Tuesday evening at a leading hotel here.
He added that medical tourism has generated RM1.5 billion revenue receipts from 1.2 million healthcare travellers.
“With this potential, the federal 2020 Budget had also allocated RM25 million to the Malaysia Healthcare Tourism Council to strengthen the position of the country as the preferred destination for health tourism in Asean for oncology, cardiology and fertility treatments.”
Ling was optimistic about achieving the target of 30 million tourists. He also appealed to all to strengthen national unity and integration towards building a better life and brighter future for the future generation.
“It is vital for us to stay united to strive together so that the fruits of our efforts can be shared equitably with care and respect for each other,” he said.
Ling reiterated that the government’s ‘Shared Prosperity Agenda’, a continuation of the Vision 2020 aim, was infused with ideas, idealism, innovation, institutional reforms and integrity to forge a new Malaysia.
“The PH government wants to build a new Malaysia that offers adequate medical care, quality education, useful and remunerative jobs, decent homes, freedom from unfair competition and monopolies, human dignity filled with rights and respect, and a society devoted to religious tolerance and racial harmony,” he added.
