KOTA KINABALU: Sabah's tourism industry hammered by the Covid-19 pandemic and the Movement Control Order (MCO) received a temporary relief of RM2,879,500 from the state government's third edition of Bantuan Sabah Prihatin (BSP) 3.0.
Yesterday, the state Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor had announced the BSP 3.0 covering various sectors totalling RM154,835,981 to complement the various assistance given by the federal government to the people.
Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin expressed appreciation to the state government for giving out the financial assistance.
"The assistance is to help the tourism operators affected by the imposition of the Movement Control Order (MCO) 3.0," he said in a statement.
He said the state government was always concerned and ensure that all those in the economic chain including the tourism sector were given the necessary assistance.
Jafry also ensured that the ministry would always foster closer rapport with the tour operators to make sure the financial aid was distributed effectively to affected operators.
Of the RM2.8 million, RM300 each would be distributed to tour guides, art practitioners, divemasters, mountain guides, porters, hotel and lodging operators as well as tour operators and homestay association involving 3,325 recipients.
For hotels and lodgings, four and five-star hotels would each receive RM5,000 while three-star and below rating (RM2,000), lodgings with three, two and one-orchid rating (RM2000), homestay association (RM1,000), hotels that have not been rated (RM1,000) and tour operators (RM2,000).