Commentary by Mustafa K. Anuar

TOURISM, Arts and Culture Minister Tiong King Sing feared our tourism industry might be harmed as certain politicians keep stoking racial and religious sentiments over the years.

He said such toxic politics, which have polarised our multiethnic, multireligious and multicultural society, could frighten away tourists and impact the country’s recovering economy.

Tiong’s concern is understandable as tourism is one of the country’s income-earning sectors of the economy, which is why there is a need to promote and maintain the good image of Malaysia on the world stage.

Insisting, as certain quarters did recently, that this country is anything but multiethnic and multireligious is unlikely to serve as an additional tourist attraction gimmick. Some tourists might even consider Malaysia a “no-fly zone”.

Until the third week of August, the number of foreign tourists was 12.17 million, and Tiong’s ministry estimated 16.1 million foreign tourists were expected to visit Malaysia. For comparison, Tiong said Malaysia recorded 26.1 million foreign tourists in 2019.

In other words, Tiong has good reason to be worried if such divisive politics would deter foreign tourists from staying at our hotels and homestays, visiting museums and other attractions, tasting our multiethnic delicacies, watching cultural practices and buying souvenirs.

But then, curbing divisive race and religion politics should not merely be an effort to attract and profit from more tourists.

Playing such toxic politics constitutes an existential threat to the nations, which is why Malaysians in general have a higher and more noble objective – to celebrate diversity and foster ethnic harmony.

It is incumbent upon Malaysians to prioritise the goal of building a diverse society that promotes and values peaceful coexistence, compassion, mutual understanding, respect, justice and prosperity.

Diversity is a national asset in itself. The rich cultural traditions that we have should be a selling point to tourists who hunger for cultures varied and relatively different from theirs.

The Hari Raya open houses, Hungry Ghost Festival, St Anne’s Feast, Thaipusam, Kaamatan and Hari Gawai Dayak, to name a few cultural and religious celebrations, are likely to spark curiosity and interest among tourists. This should make the slogan “Malaysia, Truly Asia” sound unpretentious.

On another level, multiethnic talents that are pulled together, made possible by a more encouraging political environment, to develop the country would not only interest investors, but also certain tourists who appreciate positive synergies.

Of course, this is not to neglect the fact Malaysia as a tourist destination is also dependent on the quality of services provided by the industry as a whole. Bad services give bad impressions.

In this regard, stakeholders are expected to play an important role in bringing about a harmonious and inclusive Malaysia. The fruits of such labour will be gained by tourism industry players.

Politicians, too, have a role to play in helping boost the tourism industry by stopping the manipulation of racial and religious issues for their own interests.

But then again, such politicians should cease doing the ignoble, irrespective of the number of tourists coming into the country. – September 21, 2023.