Tourism DG Says "Malaysia Among World's Safest Tourist Destinations." Is This Claim Still True?
Foreign tourists have no worry coming to Malaysia because the country is among the safest destinations in the world to visit, Tourism Malaysia Director-General Datuk Mirza Mohammad Taiyab said, in a Bernama report.He said the crime rate in Malaysia was still low compared to those in some developed countries in Europe like in Paris, France, where the rate was so high that people had to queue to lodge police reports.
He gave a scenario in Milan, Italy as an example where tourists who lost their luggage were approached by the thieves who demanded payment for the return of the baggage.
"Malaysia is a safe place where even a petty crime gets reported," he told reporters after opening the general meeting of the Association of Malaysian Bumiputera Adventure and Travel Companies (Bumitra) here today.
He was reacting to crime reports by the media, whether they would adversely affect promotions for the Visit Malaysia Year 2007.
***** At one time I would have agreed with the DG, but definitely not with the present spiralling crime rate in the country. Johor is a good example of this sorry state of affairs. In fact today's NST highlighted that the Johor police will take immediate interim measures, which include renting shoplots for new police stations, to beef up security in the city following public anger over recent violent gang rapes.
How often have generally patient Malaysians publicly expressed their dissatisfaction and anger at the authorities over increasing crime? Despite crime waves off and on, the people have always been calm and left it to the cops to perform their duties. But matters recently have come to a point that citizens have no choice but to openly express their ire at the lackadaisical attitude of those in power as well as the police for their masterly inaction in the midst of mayhem in many parts of our country.But it looks like those in authority are more concerned with tourist arrivals than robbed, raped, maimed and murdered Malaysians!
1) Upper Image - Source
2) Lower Image - Source
Labels: Crime, Royal Malaysia Police, Tourism
posted by The Malaysian. at 6/20/2007 10:53:00 AM
4 Comments:
It would be interesting to see the statistics on how these incidents will affect VMY2007. While I am positive that there will some spin on the actual tourist figures come 2008 when the numbers get tabulated, it would remain an interesting exercise to determine exactly how much our notoriety will cost the economy. Perhaps, if a bad reputation could be quantified in terms of loss of potential revenue, the government will pay a little more heed to what the people are asking for. I mean, seriously. What the people of Johor are clamoring for is entirely reasonable. It is a reasonable expectation that the security forces should do their jobs -- all this tough talk of shaping up or shipping out is exactly just that. Talk. And we all know what talk is.
Don't bother about what those idiot Minister/DG said.
There are many foreign journalists & expatriates living in Malaysia and in this borderless age, info travel fast through the Internet. Foreigners can get true info/news in their local dailies from these foreign journalists. They will know how "unsafe" is in our Malaysian cities & they come here at their own risk. Especially the Singaporeans, they know it's unsafe but yet they still like to vist Johor Baru. It's their choice.
So, idiot Minister/DG, stop bullshitting!! The foreigners know the risk they are taking & they deserved it if they ever come here.
Yes, you're dead right! The spin on statistics will be at least 25% more tourists compared to last year. Otherwise, how to claim an overwhelming success? The minister looks good, better prospect to continue after the GE and the DG looks pretty and Malaysia can pretend to stand tall again. Mirror, mirror on the ball, how many tourists rolled in before the fall?
Yes, Malaysia is among the "safest" destinations. Judging by crime statistics from mainstream newspapers (always telling the truth, nothing but the truth):
Property crimes in 2005, only 42,778. Prisoners population only 101,651 (as September 2005). Snatched thefts only 9,999 between Jan to Oct 2004) and 7,909 for 2005 corresponding period. Total crimes only 157,459 for 2005. And of course, 3/4 of urban Malaysians live behind gates, doors and barriers and many with closed circuit TVs and other measures like alarm systems. So who says, Malaysia is not a safe country?
If we are such a safe country, why have police sentries at every Cabinet Ministers' houses. Becasue of that, they are also "safe". The DG is right, we are one of the most safest country...besides the North and South poles. if Malaysia is placed top of the ranking, Iraq must surely be the second safest country to visit. Period.
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