PUTRAJAYA: The Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (MOTAC) through ongoing discussions with industry players will continue its efforts to submit views and suggestions in ensuring the survival of the country's tourism industry.

Its minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said MOTAC has been communicating and working closely with arts and culture tourism industry players by listening to their grievances and submitting the proposals discussed.

In February alone this year, MOTAC held five engagement sessions through the Crisis Management Taskforce involving more than 30 industry representatives to get feedback on challenges faced and suggest proposals, she said.

"As a result of the engagement sessions, MOTAC has scrutinised every view submitted by industry players. MOTAC is committed to taking action on matters that fall within MOTAC's jurisdiction," she said in a statement today.

On issues raised by the industry which are not under MOTAC's jurisdiction such as Wage Subsidy Programme and the opening of international borders, Nancy said MOTAC had brought the proposals and motions to the relevant ministries for action.

She said MOTAC also brought proposals to the National Security Council meeting and the result was the permission for tourism activities in the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) and Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) areas.

Nancy said MOTAC had also presented the impact and recovery strategy of the tourism industry to the Economic Action Council and it was accepted by the council.

"Currently, the action taken by MOTAC is also based on the decision," she said.

As for the arts and culture sector, she said MOTAC also extended the issues raised by the sector's players on an ongoing basis and as a result, the government had recently announced the reopening of arts, culture and heritage premises.

This includes museums, libraries, art galleries, cultural heritage art centres or villages by adhering to standard operating procedures for the tourism and cultural sectors, she added.

"I believe that close cooperation through regular and consistent engagement sessions will reach an agreement in helping every player in the tourism, arts and culture economic chain for us to jointly rise and revitalise the country's tourism, arts and culture industry," she added.

-- BERNAMA