JOHOR BARU, June 4 — An aide to Johor Tourism, Women, Family and Community Development Committee chairman Liow Cai Tung today lambasted Umno’s Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin for issuing baseless allegations that the state has done nothing for the Visit Johor Year 2020 campaign.
Liow's special officer, Ahmad Anwar, said Khaled should learn how to be a credible Opposition lawmaker instead of making baseless allegations.
Ahmad Anwar was commenting on Khaled’s statement yesterday, alleging that the Johor government was not serious in promoting the state in conjunction with Visit Johor Year 2020.
He said Khaled, who is Umno vice-president and also Johor’s former menteri besar, is still disillusioned after the collapse of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition in the state under his leadership.
“As a former Johor menteri besar, Khaled should be more mature in issuing statements.
“More so when we are looking at the last days of the noble Ramadan month, he should be more careful in expressing his views,” said Ahmad Anwar, claiming that Khaled as a senior politician should have done his research on the planning of Visit Johor Year 2020 by the Pakatan Harapan (PH) state government.
Ahmad Anwar said since June 1, Liow had explained the various plans by the Johor government in promoting Visit Johor Year 2020, that was also reported in the media.
He said on June 2, Tourism Johor director Zihan Ismail had also elaborated on some approaches that have been taken by the state government.
Ahmad Anwar said in regards to Visit Johor Year 2020, the preparatory workshop, various advertising and souvenir initiatives, public awareness campaigns, selection of destinations, mascot and photography have been carried out.
“It is surprising that Khaled has overlooked such information.
“Unless, Khaled just wants to deceive himself by giving out such baseless allegations,” said Ahmad Anwar.
Yesterday, Khaled claimed that no major announcements or advertisements were placed to attract visitors or to promote Johor by the state government for Visit Johor Year 2020 that was due in about six months’ time.
He emphasised that Liow, as the exco in charge, should have actively promoted various attractions of the state by now.
“Why is Johor so quiet, as though Johor is not ready to receive visitors? As if, we do not want people to visit us, or the state government does not think that Johor has the potential to be a world-class tourist destination,” Khaled said in a statement.
