According to Sin Chew, the Malaysian Association of Hotels Sarawak Chapter said the hotel industry will bear the brunt of the loss, after more than 600 participants had been expected for the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships, initially scheduled in July.

“The swimmers and coaches stay up to two weeks, although the championships last for one week.

“The hotels would not be able to fill up the occupancy within (this) short span of time after the cancellation of the championships,” the association’s honorary secretary general John Teo was quoted by the Chinese daily as saying.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) had last month barred Malaysia from hosting the tournament, which was to be held in Kuching.

It followed Israel’s appeal to change the venue if Malaysia refused to lift a ban on its athletes.

Putrajaya has defended its decision, which sparked accusations of anti-Semitism from Israeli lobbies in the West.

Apart from the hotel industry, Teo said, others affected by Putrajaya’s decision include travel agencies, restaurants, airlines and shopping centres.

He claimed that some travel agencies had bought new vehicles to cater to the anticipated influx of visitors.

The cancellation of the championships is also expected to affect the number of sightseers to Sibu, Miri and the Mulu national park.

Sin Chew also quoted Sarawak Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah as saying they were unable to do anything “unless the federal government changes its stand”.