KOTA KINABALU: Sabah's Tourism and Culture Ministry (Motac) has condemned Sabah Tourist Guide Association and Bumiputera Tourist Guide Association for staging a protest at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport, yesterday.
Its director Ag Ahmad Zaki Abu Bakar, in a statement said their conduct in the wee hours at the the airport was uncalled for and had painted negative image to tourists arriving in the state.
"It has tarnished the image of 'friendly Sabahans' as their action has a tourist group (from China) to be stranded for two hours.
"These tourists were also terrified for their safety," he said.
On Saturday, a group of Chinese tourists were greeted by disgruntled local tour guides, who were members of the associations, after arriving at 12.30am.
The tourists were in the state for holiday under a licensed local tour company run by a South Korean.
The protesters claimed that the company had hired illegal tour guides and they were seen holding papers with “Sabah does not welcome illegal operator” and “Sabah does not welcome unlicensed tour guide” written on them.
In the event, they confronted the tourists and questioned the legitimacy if their guide.
The protesters followed the tourists as they boarded their tour bus and continued to tell them the consequences for not hiring a local guide.
The touritsts were stranded for two hours as their guide appointed by the company was absence. Prior to the tourists arrival, the protesters had confronted the company's guide, who fled the airport for fear of his safety.
Ag Ahmad said the accusation made by the association was unfounded, stressing Motac has conducted investigation against the tour company.
"We found that the alleged company has conducted their business legally according to the Tourism Industry Act 1992.
"At that point of time, they had a licence tourist guide and tour buses waiting at the airport to receive the tourists upon arrival," he said.
He added Motac viewed the incident seriously and had requested the police to look into whether the assembly is demmed illegal.
"We will not hesitate to revoke all their licences with immediate effect if they are found to have commited an offence," he said.
Meanwhile, Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said the incident could tarnish Sabah's image as a preferred destination for the Chinese tourists.
"If this happened, it would indirectly affect local tour guides and related tourism service providers,” he said.