Anwar said the decision was in line with the government’s efforts to make it easier for the tourism ministry to attract tourists to Malaysia.

He said technical aspects had been sorted out by the tourism, arts and culture minister, Tiong King Sing and visa issues had been discussed with home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

“At the initial stage, what we can expedite is the approval for chartered flights,” he said.

Tiong had proposed in February that airlines should look into developing special chartered flights to Malaysia as an initiative to attract foreign tourists to the country.

Anwar said the government would consider the tourism ministry’s suggestions as the tourism industry is a major generator of revenue for the country.

“Whatever action that is suitable, must be given due consideration to encourage and attract tourist arrivals to Malaysia,” he said at the tourism ministry’s Aidilfitri open house today.

Tiong said 4.38 million foreign tourists entered the country in the first quarter of the year, of whom 178,150 were from China.

Melaka hopes to see more flights

A Melaka state government official said plans were being drawn up to attract more airline companies to fly to the airport at Batu Berendam, Bernama reported.

The federal government would be asked for additional funds to improve the airport runway, state executive councillor Hameed Mytheen Kunju Basheer said after welcoming the arrival of passengers on Wings Air today.

The company has introduced daily return flights using ART-72 aircraft, with the first flight today bringing in passengers from Pekanbaru, Indonesia.

The executive councillor for tourism, Abdul Razak Rahman, said Melaka is a health tourism destination, especially for tourists from Indonesia. “Judging by the flight today, 85% of the passengers are here for treatment at private hospitals in the state,” he said.

Wings Air, a lowcost commuter airline, is a subsidiary of Lion Air.