Immigration officers who look down on tourists who are not well dressed have come under fire from Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.
He said one's physical appearance should not be used to determine a person's intention or personality.
“Immigration officers form the frontline of the country. This is why they must be educated to refrain from adopting such perceptions,” he told reporters after a courtesy call on North Sumatra Governor Rudolf M. Pardede here on Thursday.
Tengku Adnan is here as part of the Visit Malaysia 2007 roadshow which will also include Bandar Aceh.
He was referring to a recent case where several people from Medan who were seeking medical treatment in Penang were denied entry into Malaysia because they were shabbily clothed and unable to converse properly.
“Many from Medan and other countries regularly go to Malaysia for medical treatment because we have the expertise and facilities.”
He said his ministry would be having talks with the Immigration Department on the matter.
Tengku Adnan said 1.3 million tourists from Medan visited Malaysia last year and the ministry was aiming to surpass the two million mark this year.
He also said that only Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Malacca and Genting Highlands were popular with North Sumatran tourists while other states were neglected.
As such, he said, talks were being held with tourist agencies here to promote all states in Malaysia.
Source : STAR
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