PETALING JAYA: Parti Warisan Sabah has called on the government to take action against the proliferation of unlicensed tour guides from China who it says are threatening the livelihood of about 600 legitimate Sabahan guides, especially those catering to the China market.

Its vice-president Junz Wong said the situation had become so dire that a group of Sabah guides resorted to staging a protest on the matter at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport just after midnight yesterday.

“The protest led to three illegal tour guides fleeing the airport and leaving their big group of tourists stranded at the airport,” he said.

“Sadly, such an incident not only leaves a bitter taste in the mouths of the tourists but also affects the reputation of the state as a tourist destination.”

The Likas assemblyman said the unlawful operators are likely to be collaborating with certain parties in the local industry.

“Any local company which is working in cahoots with the illegal tour guides or so-called ‘translators’ must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law and have their licences revoked,” he said in a statement today.

Wong called on the authorities to deport and blacklist the foreign perpetrators from entering the state.

He said the federal and state tourism ministries need to protect the local tourist industry from such parties operating outside the boundaries of the law and to ensure a level playing field.

He also called on state tourism minister Masidi Manjun to investigate the issue and track down the illegal guides as well as their local accomplices.

He said Warisan recently held a dialogue with Sabah tour guides who made a firm stand against allowing the illegal operators in the state.

Wong added that foreigners can only obtain a temporary tour guide licence in Sabah and even then only if they are employed on a full-time basis by a licensed tour company operating in Malaysia.

“In any industry healthy competition is positive but the illegal tour guides are not acting within the confines of the law,” he said.

Wong added that Sabah had more than enough local Chinese-speaking guides to cater for tourists from China.

“This has to be stopped before Sabah’s reputation is further tarnished by the illegal tour guides, especially since tourists from China represent the largest group of tourists who come to the state,” he said.

Sabah tour trade wants ‘power’ to nab illegal guides

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2015/10/19/chinese-love-coming-to-sabah-for-holidays/

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/09/19/masidi-must-resolve-tour-guides-shortage/