THE Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (Motac) said it did not ignore Langkawi in promoting tourism. 

Its deputy minister, Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan, said Langkawi is made a top priority in sales missions abroad. 

“This is very clear, and it is the resolution of the ministry… as the government had spent an enormous amount of funds on Langkawi. There is no reason why the ministry through Tourism Malaysia did not promote Langkawi,” he said. 

He was winding up the debate on the Supply Bill 2024 at committee stage for the ministry at Dewan Rakyat today. 

Earlier, during the debate, Mohd Suhaimi Abdullah (Langkawi-PN) alleged that promotions for Langkawi were weak.   

Khairul Firdaus said Motac, through Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), had supported activities organised in Langkawi including business and international sports events such as the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition, the Ironman race, and Langkawi International Half Marathon 2023, which will be held on December 2.  

Apart from that, he said MyCEB supported the Royal Langkawi Yacht Championship 2024, which will be held from January 15 to 24 next year. 

He said Malaysia targeted tourist arrivals from 10 countries during Visit Malaysia Year 2026: Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Brunei, India, China, South Korea, and Australia.  

He said the target was based on the trend and number of tourist arrivals from these countries in the past few years. 

The Dewan Rakyat later passed the management and development expenditure estimate totalling RM1,083,562,100, which was allocated to the ministry, after a debate involving 21 MPs. 

The Dewan Rakyat will sit again on Monday. – Bernama, November 23, 2023.