Nak Bercuti? Pusing Dulu Selangor during Recovery Movement Control Order

By Laura Lee, Pixs by Anthony Tan

Food trails is one of Sepang's promotions. This Lokal dragon fruit juice is a must try at HL Restaurant

During the last few weeks, I had the opportunity to update myself on the happenings in various parts of Selangor while the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) was on. Thanks to the various organisations or parties who were eager to show us how the tourism sector is gradually reviving itself having been adversely impacted by the new coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

This deadly virus has not only hit Malaysia’s key gateway but also the world at large, shutting down many hotels, restaurants, airlines, airports and diverse businesses.

Through a technical visit programme from 23-24 July organised by the Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association (MITA) and Tourism Selangor to Sepang, travel agents and a few media were updated on this district.

After a brief message from Sepang Municipal Council or Majlis Perbandaran Sepang (MPSepang) president Mohd Fauzi Mod Yatim, a slide presentation by one of its staff followed. We were informed while the council was forced to cancel its Visit Sepang Year 2020 campaign due to the MCO, it will continue to promote the district’s many attractions.

MITA technical visit to Sepang launch outside MPSepang office in Cyberjaya: Mint Leong on far right and MPSepang president in the centre

MPSepang recently launched its domestic tourism campaign with the tagline, Sepang Dihati, Jom Bercuti@Sepang, where it hopes to generate local economic activities which will develop the district as a shopping destination among other things.  

The council is now looking at 80% domestic tourist arrivals for 2020 with the remaining balance from foreign tourists while its targeted revised total arrivals will be three million tourists and a revenue of RM1 billion.  

An article in The Star last October had given a targeted arrival figure of five million tourists from an estimated income of RM5 billion.

It will be interesting to know if MPSepang will be following through with its calender of events that was shown to us. The council is supposed to have a Pesta Pantai Bagan Lalang@Sepang in August Sepang Flower Show in September, Explore Banghuris Homestay Festival in October and MotoGP in November.

It has also created several trails focusing on family entertainment, culture and heritage, food as well as small- and medium-scale enterprises located in Banghuris besides encouraging the development of more domestic packages, which MITA agents are keen to do, especially after visiting some of its tourism products during our recent technical programme.

A group pix to commemorate our Banghuris Homestay visit after touring its agro activities

They included Sirip Biru in Sungai Pelek, HL Restaurant and Dragon Fruit Eco Farm,  Banghuris Homestay and MAEPS Agro Tourism Park.

The river cruise ride along Sungai Pelek passes through mangrove swamps after leaving the jetty

MITA deputy president Mint Leong, who is also Sunflower Holidays Sdn Bhd managing director, is spearheading the development of packages for Sepang. “Selangor is the first state we are working closely with. As the gateway for international tourists, it has three airports.”

Similar technical visit programmes will be organised until 2021 to seek out new and unique products in the other eight districts in Selangor, she adds.

MOTAC public facilities closed until 30 April due to Covid-19

By Laura Lee

Mindful of the health concerns and to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture’s (MOTAC) has instructed that all public facilities under the purview of its departments and agencies to temporarily close until 30 April.

In a statement issued on 16 March, its minister Datuk Sri Nancy Shukri told the heads of these government departments and agencies to disinfect their respective public facilities. They involve the:

•  Department of Museums or Jabatan Muzium Malaysia (JMM)     
• National Art Gallery (NAG) or Balai Seni Negara (BSN) 
•          Department of National Heritage or Jabatan Warisan Negara (JWN)
•          National Archives of Malaysia or Arkib Negara Malaysia (ANM)
•       Malaysian Handicraft Development Corporation (Kraftangan Malaysia)
•          National Library of Malaysia
•          National Department for Culture and Arts or Jabatan Kebudayaan dan Kesenian Negara (JKKN)
•          Istana Budaya, and 
•          Malaysia Tourism Centre or MATIC.
  

The full list of these public facilities can be found in the ministry’s website, MOTAC.GOV.MY. 

JMM has 20 museums nationwide under its ambit. I have had the opportunity to visit most of them over the years. Still remember a media familiarisation trip organised to the museums in Peninsular Malaysia which I participated many moons ago.

As for the NAG, I have been to the one in KL and was unaware there have one located in Langkawi despite numerous trips to this legendary island.

Under JWN's three public facilities, I have not been to Galeri Melayu Pulau Penang but have visited the Lenggong Valley Archaeological Gallery in Perak and Sungai Batu archaeological site in Kedah several times. 

Fourth from right: Universiti Sains Malaysia Professor Datuk Dr Mokhtar Saidin sharing with travel agents how archaeotourism can be a niche product for special interest groups and students during my recent trip this year  

I was back in February to Sungai Batu for a most enlightening update as part of a fam trip organised by the Malaysian Association of Travel and Tour Agents (MATTA) Kedah/Perlis Chapter, thanks to the invitation from its chairman Mohd Yusin.

During this fam trip, we also visited Kompleks Rumah Kelahiran Mahathir Mohamad, which comes under one of the ANM’s 12 public facilities that also include memorials and galleries. This house features the birthplace of Tun Dr Mahathir, Malaysia’s fourth and seventh prime minister (PM).

All three Kompleks Kraf in Kuala Lumpur, Johor and Langkawi under Kraftangan Malaysia will be closed until 30 April. Visited Langkawi’s Kompleks Kraf last October under Xplorasi Media @ Langkawi 2019 fam trip where we did some batik painting.

The last time I was at MATIC, a popular venue for tourists, was for MATTA’s Visit Malaysia 2020 (VM2020) bus sticker launch on 3 January. 
  
Well, following the Movement Control Order announcement by PM Muhyiddin Yassin on 18 March, the new minister Nancy took the immediate pre-emptive action to cancel the VM2020 campaign, which the ministry’s marketing arm Tourism Malaysia has been aggressively promoting despite having to contend with the havoc COVID-19 was creating after the first case of this virus was reported on 25 January in Sungai Buloh, Selangor.