World Scout Conference 2020 can boost country’s tourism industry

August 7, 2017

KUCHING: The Scouts Association of Malaysia wants to bid for the rights to host the 2020 World Scout Conference in Kuala Lumpur, not only for the benefit of the movement but also because it will help boost the country’s tourism industry.

Chief Scout of Malaysia Tan Sri Dr Shafie Mohd Salleh, in citing the relocation of the World Organisation of the Scout Movement (WOSM) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, to Menara Sentral Vista in Kuala Lumpur, said they had been busy organising various activities.

Shafie (left) presents a medal and certificate to veteran Sarawak Scout member Muhammad Su’ut Amin. The 89-year-old was among over 1,500 Scouts taking part in the Mount Serapi Climbathon at Kubah National Park near Kuching yesterday.

“When we succeeded in making Malaysia the WOSM headquarters, Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz (Minister of Tourism and Culture) commended us,” he said, adding that if the Scouts from the Arab countries came to Malaysia, they would come in large numbers and would spend big.

“If Malaysia manages to organise the World Scout Conference 2020, each country would bring six registered delegates together with 10 to 20 observers, which would be good enough for the country’s tourism industry,” Shafie told reporters after the Malaysia World Scout Day 2017 celebration and Mount Serapi ‘Climbathon’ at Kubah National Park here yesterday.

The programme was declared opened by Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah. The event hosted over 1,500 participants, climbing the 911m high Mount Serapi.

The Scouts Association of Malaysia will make an official bid to host the 2020 conference in Kuala Lumpur at the 41st World Scout Conference, to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan from Aug 14 to 18.

Meanwhile Abdul Karim, when met by the media, welcomed the move, adding the ministry would be ever-ready to cooperate should Sarawak be chosen to host any Scout activities.

National Chief Scout Commissioner Major-General (Rtd) Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Zin Bidin said the movement has 65,000 members nationwide, but there are still many not registered with the movement.

“We are a registered body with WOSM, so all members need to be registered with the official body in Malaysia and WOSM because we have to pay the fees to WOSM. This problem not only occurs in Malaysia, but also worldwide.

“We do not want to force them (to register). However for registered scouts, WOSM provides training packages for different ages.

“The copyright for the training and so on, which is currently used by unregistered Scouts, belongs to WOSM. So if they are not registered, they should not be using the curriculum,” he added. — Bernama