KOTA KINABALU: State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin vowed action against unlicensed operators, noting that only 46 of the 190 tourist accommodations detected in Semporna are operating legally.
“The remaining 144 premises are unlicensed, representing 76 per cent of all detected operations. Of the figure, a total of 62 have started applying for approval, while 82 have taken no steps whatsoever to regularise their status,” he said in his winding-up speech.
“Tourist demand is booming, and Sabahans, especially in Semporna, are smart to cash in on it. But this mushrooming growth in accommodations needs proper regulation to keep visitors safe,” he said.
Through a special task force, Jafry’s Ministry has classified Semporna’s 190 tourists’ premises into three groups, 46 fully licensed, 62 in the process of applying and 82 that have made no effort to comply.
“The data was recorded as of April 16 this year,” he said.
He said the Sabah Tourism Board had been directed to promote only the 46 compliant premises.
“This is not just about promotion … it is about educating foreign tourists so they are not exploited by illegal operators, while pushing businesses to register properly if they want government support,” he said.
He acknowledged that the matter involves the jurisdiction of several ministries and agencies.
He said his Ministry would seek Cabinet direction on next steps, particularly regarding the 82 premises that have shown no intent to comply.
Jafry said the whitening programme aims to help resort operators get legally compliant, with the Ministry acting as a facilitator to guide them through the process, though he noted that most operators have yet to come forward to submit their applications.
Responding to Senallang’s concerns about Semporna operators paying RM70 monthly compared to RM10 elsewhere, Jafry said that fees are governed by the Semporna District Council’s 1981 by-law, with three tiers: RM100 for full-facility premises, RM70 for standard facilities and RM20 for basic shophouse operations.
“I will raise the fee gap with the relevant minister,” he said.
Senallang also raised concern about foreign tourists, particularly from China, entering into land deals with locals involving Native Title and Country Lease land, with payments of RM20,000 to RM30,000 disguised as rental fees, pointing out that such arrangements could see the land effectively pass into foreign hands within 20 years.
Senallang also pointed out the use of Alipay by foreign tourists and tour operators, saying that it cuts local Sabahan businesses out of the economic chain and may need to be investigated for potential money laundering.
Meanwhile, Sulabayan raised the need for a tourism jetty upgrade in Kampung Bangau-Bangau.
Jafry said an application has been submitted under the 13th Malaysia Plan for a government-owned jetty in Semporna, which, if approved, would serve as a centralised hub to better monitor tourist movements and improve safety.
“The application has been forwarded to the Federal Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture,” he said.
In response to Bugaya’s proposal to set up a Tourism Information Centre at the local post office, Jafry said the Ministry and the Semporna District Tourism Action Council would jointly explore the proposal.
Concerns over high domestic airfares, unexplained flight cancellations and Sabah’s competitiveness against cheaper regional destinations were also raised during Jafry’s winding-up speech.
Sulabayan pointed out steep domestic ticket prices, citing a RM1,010 fare from Kota Kinabalu, pointing out that travellers and local tourists from Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia are being priced out.
He called for better price coordination and also questioned the impact of MASwings shifting its hub away from Kota Kinabalu to Sarawak.
Sri Tanjong raised the issue of flight cancellations from Kota Kinabalu and Tawau, questioning whether low passenger loads were pushing airlines to abandon less profitable routes.
He proposed making Kota Kinabalu a transit stop rather than a terminal point on certain routes, pointing to AirAsia’s Kota Kinabalu–Taipei–Fukuoka service as a working model.
In response, Jafry acknowledged that airlines are driven by profit and loss considerations and that global conflicts further contributed to capacity reductions.
He also said that the “fly-through” approach is already among the strategies his Ministry brings to the negotiating table with aviation players.
“I am committed to taking continuous steps to improve the situation and resolve issues in a phased manner,” he said.
