PETALING JAYA: Members of the retail sector have made an “urgent and desperate” plea to the government for all malls and retail outlets to reopen by July 15 or when the 10% Covid-19 vaccination target is achieved.
They said that as the shopping mall and retail industry contributed significantly to the economy, all efforts had to be taken to preserve the performance of the sector.
Malaysian Shopping Malls Association president Tan Sri Teo Chiang Kok said that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned against lockdowns, as they result in extreme economic damage, and that a flexible approach to managing the pandemic must be undertaken.
Matfa urges govt to draw up short, medium term plans to help revive ailing tourist industry thestar.com.my - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thestar.com.my Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
THE number of tourist arrivals and foreign receipts was expected to reach all-time highs this year as part of a strategy put in place a decade ago under the Economic Transformation Programme to make Malaysia a leading tourist destination. It was also designated a Visit Malaysia Year, which would give the numbers a further lift.
Alas, the Covid-19 pandemic brought the entire tourism industry to a grinding halt as the government, along with its counterparts around the world, took measures to contain the spread by closing borders, causing massive job and revenue losses. Many hotels shuttered, while some travel agencies and businesses folded as their funds dried up.