KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Association of Tour and Travel Agents (SATTA) has chastised a peninsula-based Chinese language newspaper for publishing a disparaging article on the tourism situation in Sabah.
Its chairman, Dato Seri Winston Liaw said that the broadsheet daily has blatantly labelled the Covid-19 situation in the state as ‘Sabah Virus’ in one of its articles published on September 30.
“SATTA received lots of complaints regarding the said newspaper for calling the Covid-19 as Sabah Virus.
“SATTA urged the said newspaper to retract or correct the mistake as the article has seriously ruined the image of Sabah tourism industry.
“Many people will lose their source of income if no action is taken as lots of Sabahans depending on the tourism sector to make a living to support their families,” Liaw said.
He said the damaging article has further hurt the state ailing economy and exasperated the feelings of Sabahans.
“We urge the said newspaper to apologise to Sabah for their unethical and irresponsible reporting,” Liaw demanded.-HS
