KUCHING: Sarawak's Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah believes that security, not language, is the main reason why international tourists come to Malaysia.
He said tourists come to Malaysia because of the standard of security provided by the police and other agencies.
"We don't have many complaints from tourists that their safety in the country is being compromised," he told reporters when asked to respond to a statement by federal Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing over Kuala Lumpur City Hall's (DBKL) enforcement against Chinese-language signboards.
He said the issue of tourists becoming victims of pickpockets happens everywhere.
"I have also become a victim in one of my overseas trips," he said.
Karim said international tourists go to countries where they feel welcome and where there are many tourism products for them to enjoy and visit.
"Thirdly, they come because of food which they can easily find.
"Apart from these, the local communities are welcoming towards the arrivals of the tourists," Karim said.
He also said the language issue is not the main concern of the tourists who want to come to any country, saying that it is not going to hinder their travelling plans.
"If we want to go to other countries, say the Middle East or India or China, we don't want to insist that these countries use Bahasa Malaysia on their road signages.
"It is for these countries concerned to decide," he said.
He said he has heard in parliament of opposition members of parliament questioning Tiong's criticism against DBKL for reportedly penalising businesses not using Bahasa Malaysia in their signboards since October, with five premises being compounded for violating the Advertisements (Federal Territories) By-Laws 1982.
"I feel that we need to abide by the rules of laws.
"If the by-laws say so, everyone living in that area must abide by them," he said, adding that there was no need to insist on using Tamil to attract tourists from India, Mandarin for tourists from China, or Arabic for tourists from Middle Eastern countries.
Karim said the use of Bahasa Malaysia in DBKL's jurisdiction should not be made an issue.
"There is no need to make a small issue become a major issue," he said.
In a recent Facebook post, Tiong expressed concerns over DBKL's recent enforcement against Chinese-language signboards, describing the actions as excessive and counterproductive.
He claimed that such a decision had directly influenced tourists' decisions to visit Malaysia and undermined the country's competitiveness on the global stage.
"We must not create a false negative image that contradicts our reality as a multiracial, multicultural, and multireligious country," he said.
Tiong highlighted the need for inclusivity to boost the nation's image, as Malaysia prepares to chair Asean next year.