PETALING JAYA: The director-general of the Malaysian Tourism Promotion Board (Tourism Malaysia), Datuk Dr Ammar Abd Ghapar, is set to be terminated from his position starting next Monday (Feb 26).
The termination letter was signed by the Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, and was dated Feb 22.
According to the letter, Ammar’s services are being terminated under Subsection 10 (1) of the Malaysian Tourism Promotion Board Act 1992 (Act 481), in conjunction with Section 47 of the Interpretation Act 1948 and 1967 (Act 388).
It has been reported that Tiong decided to terminate Ammar due to his alleged failure to follow instructions from the minister.
Sources indicate that Ammar’s removal from Tourism Malaysia was primarily due to his poor performance and repeated inability to comply with the minister’s directives.
It is understood that Tiong had given Ammar a one-year period to improve, but complaints regarding his performance continued to surface.
In response, Ammar stated that he had tried to request a meeting with the minister on multiple occasions, but his requests were denied.
Expressing his disappointment, Ammar mentioned that he did not receive any feedback regarding his performance despite his inquiries.
“If I am not performing well, then why is the number of tourists increasing? Only the minister knows the reasoning behind why he signed the termination letter,” Ammar expressed.
“The letter does not provide any details regarding a potential transfer or new position for me. I had no intentions of going against any directives or instructions,” he added.
Regarding this sudden and unexplained termination, the Malaysian Tourism Federation (MTF) has voiced its concerns and is calling for clarity and transparency.
In a statement, MTF’s secretary-general, Dr Sri Ganesh Michel, expressed unease over the termination of a highly experienced professional with a noteworthy 36-year career in the tourism industry.
“We urge the minister and the Prime Minister to provide a detailed explanation for this termination. Let’s work together to promote transparency and address any concerns among both public and private stakeholders,” Dr Michel stated.
