Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents President Datuk Hj Hamzah Rahmat has spotted misquotes in the Bernama report “Matta disinterested in cooperation with N. Korean tourism industry” and posted by Malay Mail Online on March 1.
He said “The report stated that 80 percent of MATTA members are registered with the Tourism and Culture Ministry is incorrect. It should be 80 percent of all travel and tour companies registered with the ministry are MATTA members. As such, all 3,100 MATTA members are registered with the Tourism and Culture Ministry.”
Hamzah added “Malaysians who went to North Korea are not businessmen but individuals with their own special interest. But in the light of what happened at KLIA2, it would be prudent to heed the advice by Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz for Malaysians to stay away from North Korea for the time being.”
“Such travel advisory would apply to any destination where security of our citizens cannot be assured, and it is the fiduciary duty of all travel agents to place the safety of travellers above all else”, Hamzah concluded.