Headline : 'Use allocation for crucial matters'

NEW SUNDAY TIMES
Date : 19/06/2005
Page : 24
Byline : By R.S. Kamini
Type :News

SERI KEMBANGAN, Sat. - Get your priorities right, Kuala Kangsar Municipal Council.
In chiding the council for requesting a whopping RM51.5 million under the Ninth Malaysia Plan for landscaping and beautification projects, Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Zahid Hamidi said such a large sum should be used for other "crucial matters", like poverty eradication and rural
infrastructure projects.
"As impressive as landscaping projects can turn out to be, it does not do much for the tourism industry," he said here today after launching the fifth Malaysia International Travel Mart 2005 at the Mines International Exhibition and Convention Centre.
"Landscaping work is not a necessity. It plays a very minimal role in boosting the tourism industry."
The council was criticised by Kuala Kangsar MP Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz for proposing an enormous amount for landscaping work instead of focusing on more crucial issues.
Rafidah, who is also the International Trade and Industry Minister, was surprised the council had proposed only RM32 million for infrastructure development and RM7 million for schools in her constituency.
Zahid said the Tourism Ministry agreed with Rafidah's view to give priority to poverty eradication and rural infrastructure projects.
"Local authorities can ask the Government to allocate a sum for beautification work but they must be reasonable."
He added that landscaping work that use up a huge amount of money would also require a huge sum for maintenance, something that was rarely attended to after the completion of a beautification project.
"Malaysians have the habit of creating something new but not when it comes to maintaining or upgrading it."
He advised the council to make the necessary amendments to their proposal before submitting it for review.
On the two-day exhibition which starts today, he said it was the first travel fair adopting the "Muhibbah" concept as it was jointly organised by the Malaysian Chinese Tourism Association (MCTA), Malay Association of Bumiputra Travel Agents (Bumitra) and Malaysian Indian Tour and Travel Association (Mita).
About 143 exhibitors including tour agents, airline carriers and hoteliers are taking part in this year's event, offering discounted air tickets and travel packages.
(END)