PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia will not revise this year's 30 million tourist arrivals target despite the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi believed the target was still achievable because there were other tourists from non-hit places that Malaysia could tap into.
"The target is still 30 million. It remains as it is," he said after a special meeting with relevant stakeholders in the tourism sector and representatives from the Health Ministry.
Also present was Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
Mohamaddin said there were still many other tourists deemed "healthy" to consider and the ministry had put in place strategies to work towards achieving the target.
On this note, he urged all management and operators of tourist places in Malaysia to allow "healthy" visitors to visit their places.
"Please don't stop the healthy tourists. It is not good to do so. And, those who are healthy will not spread diseases.
"We will issue a letter informing them not to stop visitors from visiting their places, " he said.
The minister added that Malaysia was "well-experienced" in handling outbreak, citing the previous Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) as previous examples.
Malaysian health professionals had successfully protected Malaysia from the Nipah virus outbreak in 1998, SARS in 2003, H1N1 in 2009 and MERS in 2014.
The Putra Mosque here in the administrative capital had reportedly closed its door to non-Muslim visitors since Jan 26 until further notice following the 2019-nCoV outbreak.
A spokesman for the mosque management was reported saying the mosque premises would only be opened for prayers.
Non-Muslim visitors will only be allowed outside the building before the guard post to take photographs.
Mohamaddin was upbeat by the speed of the Malaysian health authorities to keep the outbreak contained including conducting thermal screening on those coming through the country's entry points especially those from China.
The minister also lauded moves made by the authorities in China to contain the outbreak including imposing travel restriction on hard-hit cities by the 2019-nCov.
AFP reported China had urged its citizens to postpone trips abroad as the country expands a massive effort to contain a viral outbreak that has killed more than 100 people nationwide.
The recommendation to delay non-essential travel was issued "in order to protect the health and safety of Chinese and foreign people", the National Immigration Administration said in a statement
On the impact of the 2019-nCov to the tourism sector, Mohamaddin said if Malaysia was to be affected, it would be "a little bit".
"It can be a small lost, if there is only a small drop of tourist arrivals or it can be a big lost if there is a big drop in tourist arrivals, " he said, adding that the ministry had yet to receive the January's figure of tourist arrivals.
Mohamaddin also took a swipe at those spreading fake news regarding the 2019-nCov, which had resulted in scaring the people.
Earlier, Dr Dzulkefly said the number of positive cases of 2019-nCoV remained at four, which were all imported cases.
So far, no Malaysians, he added, far had been tested positive for the new coronavirus strain, which originated from Wuhan, China.
He said Malaysia also worked closely with the World Health Organisation and other Asean countries to address the health issues relating to the 2019-nCov.
Asked if Malaysia would consider using an HIV drug as treatment for the new coronavirus since China was in the midst of testing it, Dr Dzulkefly said it had to be verified first before using the drug.
Reuters reported that China was testing an HIV drug and had requested for the drug to help with the government’s efforts to address the coronavirus crisis.
Aluvia, which is also known as Kaletra, is a combination of lopinavir and ritonavir.