KOTA KINABALU, March 31 — The Sabah government has set the price for Rapid Test Kit (RTK) antigen tests at no more than RM60 for visitors to the state.

The RM60 ceiling price in Sabah is a reduction from the RM100 rate for Malaysians and RM160 rate for non-Malaysians set by the federal government for the RTK antigen test that is mandatory for flights from other countries.

"The state government agrees that RM160 for each test is too high so we have decided that it should not be more than RM60,” said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Haji Noor.

"However, we in Sabah decided that it will cost not more than RM60 for all international arrivals. This is the most suitable price and will be a relief to visitors. After more than two years, we are now very eager to welcome tourists,” he said.

"We hope this will bolster the tourism industry and lead to more arrivals and economic spin-offs for everyone.”

The chief minister was responding to the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) president Datuk Tan Kok Liang’s plea that the cost of the tests imposed for international arrivals be lowered.

Earlier, Hajiji said the state government through the Sabah Tourism Board (STB) is aggressively pursuing the resumption of more than 200 direct international flights to Sabah, as the country reopens its international borders tomorrow.

He said that following the border reopening, tourism players must capitalise on Sabah’s strategic location to attract more airlines to the state.

Before the pandemic, Kota Kinabalu International Airport managed 236 direct international flights from 22 cities, said Hajiji during the launch of the Travel Safe Alliance Malaysia (TSAM) in Sabah at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) here.

Earlier, he had presented 53 organisations including hotels and travel operators with the TSAM certification.

TSAM is a partnership among four key players within the tourism industry, namely Matta, Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH), Malaysian Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (MACEOS), and Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG).

In an immediate response, Tan lauded the move, saying it would be a motivating factor for tourists.

"It is more than just the money; it is the principle of it. Why should we charge people who want to visit us?

"To this end, we hope the federal government can also revise the rate for other entry points to the country,” he said.

Tan said it was a strategy by other countries not to impose a fee for such tests to attract more visitors.