KUCHING: The state government is considering tourism as part of its agenda in the ongoing discussion with the federal government on devolution of state rights.
According to Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, when the Malaysian Agreement 1963 (MA63) was signed, tourism was not listed under the federal constitution.
“It was in 1985 that we finally set our own tourism ministry, whereas the federal government only set theirs in 1994,” he told reporters after officiating at the Pre Asia Pacific Orchid Conference here yesterday.
“This is why the state government had sent its legal team to London to study documents in archives there in relation to MA63. There are minutes of meetings prior to the agreement that was discussed by our past leaders and we need to study them.
“We are committed in this matter, including tourism and at the same time we will work together with our counterparts in Sabah who were our equal partners in forming Malaysia,” he added.
On another matter, Abdul Karim said the state is working hard to bring in direct flights to Kuching, with focus on three destinations – China, Hong Kong and Thailand.
“Sarawak will have direct flights to Shenzen by the end of this year and we are working to reinstate Hong Kong and to have one of the destinations in Thailand as additional route to Kuching soon,” he said. -TheBorneoPost
No comments:
Post a Comment