Two local companies have teamed up to introduce an initiative that will welcome fully vaccinated tourists to visit Langkawi.
Tropical Charters Sdn Bhd and Define International Sdn Bhd launched MyVakcation in a bid to revive tourism on the island, en route to the concept being adopted in other tourist destinations in the country.
Langkawi, as reported recently, had already been earmarked by the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry to be promoted as a Covid-19-free destination. This was also to kickstart the country’s tourism recovery.
Define International’s chief executive officer, Andrew Anthony, said the ultimate goal was to get at least 1,000 travellers on the island the minute interstate travel is allowed and to promote bubble-to-bubble travel, which will include chartered or travel flights to the respective destinations.
Fully vaccinated tourists can sign up for various packages at MyVakcation.com. They will be asked to provide details, including the digital certification, as proof that they have been fully vaccinated, before being allowed to travel to Langkawi.
Once in Langkawi, their details will be verified and validated again.
“The safety of the travellers, the service frontliners, and the island, is our utmost priority, as well as sustaining the soon-to-be-opened travel bubble in Langkawi,” said Anthony.
“With this in mind, we are ensuring hotels, resorts, service providers, restaurants and tours are selected based on detailed checks and diligent adherence to the standard operating procedures. Currently, we have more than 1,700 rooms available with more hotels and resorts expected to be introduced soon,” he added.
MyVakcation.com had engaged Immunitee, Malaysia’s first health pass provider, as its validation and healthcare partner.
Those travelling with children who have not been vaccinated, could still head to Langkawi after clearing the antigen and RT-PCR tests.
Residents in Langkawi have been suffering due to the various lockdowns that have been imposed in Malaysia since March last year. Some hotels on the famed tourist island had ceased to operate temporarily, while those working in the tourism and service industry had been forced to find alternative ways to make ends meet.
“Some 80 per cent of the residents in Langkawi rely on tourism. It’s not like they can jump into another industry. We hope this initiative will assist them.”
The Kedah government had targeted 80 per cent of Langkawi’s 80,000-odd population to be vaccinated by next month in order for the travel bubble to begin in September.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri was scheduled to officiate the vaccination hub at the Langkawi International Convention Centre on Saturday.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, earlier this morning, said the government was looking at relaxing restrictions for those who were fully vaccinated, including allowing them to travel.
If the travel bubble works in Langkawi, several tourist locations in Johor – to bring in Singaporeans – and Sabah could be open before tourism is allowed nationwide.
Here are Twentytwo13’s news highlights today.
VACCINATE DELIVERY RIDERS, E-HAILING DRIVERS ASAP, SAYS MP
An MP has urged the government to immediately vaccinate delivery riders and e-hailing drivers transporting food, parcels, and people from various locations daily.
Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh said she was surprised that this group of service providers were not treated as frontliners, even though they were categorised as essential service providers during the Movement Control Order.
“We have all seen photos of thousands of patients visiting the Covid-19 Assessment Centre (CAC) daily, and if they choose e-hailing services to take them there, surely the government ought to protect these industry players from infection and infecting others,” she said in a statement.
“The Health Ministry should provide guidance and encouragement on ventilation for these e-hailing rides. This is crucial for those transporting thousands of customers to CACs across Malaysia.”
She also encouraged state governments to be proactive and arrange for a vaccination drive for the delivery riders and e-hailing drivers, instead of waiting for the federal government to do so.
A total of 13,215 new Covid-19 cases were recorded in Malaysia today.
LOKMAN ADAM SENTENCED TO ONE MONTH’S JAIL
Datuk Lokman Noor Adam was sentenced to a month in jail after he was found guilty of contempt of court.
The former Umno Supreme Council member was convicted of intimidating a witness in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd trial.
High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah ordered Lokman to serve the jail sentence beginning today. However, he later granted a stay after Lokman’s lawyer said his client would be filing an immediate appeal at the Court of Appeal.
COUPLE NABBED OVER FAKE SUICIDE VIDEO
A husband and wife, both aged 29, were detained following a video, purportedly of them role playing drinking poison and committing suicide, went viral.
The man was arrested at 10.20pm yesterday, while the wife was picked up at 3.15am today.
The 16-minute video showed the man expressing his dissatisfaction with the government in tackling the Covid-19 pandemic and how the people were left stressed and depressed.
In the video, the man then proceeded to give “poison” to his nine-month old son, and then his wife, before “drinking” it himself.
NSC GETS NEW DG
Datuk Rodzi Md Saad has been appointed as National Security Council (NSC) director-general, effective today.
He succeeded Datuk Rabin Basir.
Rodzi, who was the deputy director-general, had served the civil service for 31 years and has extensive experience in various fields, including security, and disaster management.
