No tour company has ever been punished for flouting a law which bans employers from forcing female and male colleagues into sharing rooms while on assignments, laments the Malaysian Women Tourist Guide Association (MWTGA).

Despite the ruling, MWTGA president Erina Loo said that such practices are still the norm in the industry and is common knowledge. She said that this has even forced some tour guides to change professions.

NONE She was responding to a statement by Women, Family and Community Development deputy minister Heng Seai Kie ( right ) urging female tourist guides to speak up against errant employers.

While expressing "heartfelt gratitude" for Heng's concern over the issue, Loo made several clarifications to portions of the deputy minister's statement yesterday.

Amongst others, Heng had urged the MWTGA to be extra vigilant in informing members about their rights. She also advised them to lodge reports against those who flout the ruling.

In response, Loo said that MWTGA had never let their guard down since its inception, adding that it was this very issue which led to the association's establishment.

'No excuse for lax enforcement'

On the other hand, Loo points out that there has been zero enforcement of the ruling, imposed on June 1, 2009.

"We have never heard of the Tourism Department taking action, nor did we hear of any tour companies having their licences suspended," said Loo.

Loo also criticised Heng for implying that their was a lack of cooperation from MWTGA and its members in order for the law to be implemented successfully.

"They (authorities) know our problems and they know that all it needs is a spot check on certain hotels and they will find proof," she said.

She added that Heng's claim that the authorities were unable to monitor each of the 2,000 tour companies in the country and the inability to initiate investigations without a report being lodged were mere excuses.

"We would like to ask the deputy minister: Which law states that a report must be lodged before a law is enforced?" asked Loo.

Whistleblower Act doesn't help

Loo explained that the number of reports have been low because the tour industry was small and many victims were afraid that their identities would be exposed if they complained.

She said that even the newly implemented Whistleblowers Act 2010 would not be able to protect victims under such circumstances.

Regardless, Loo said that the MWTGA was willing to meet Heng to discuss possible solutions to the problem.

In the latest development, the MWTGA announced that it had secured a meeting with Heng at 2pm tomorrow.

Heng had issued a statement on the issue yesterday following news reports that a male bus driver had tried to force himself on a female tourist guide while both of them were on assignment.

The alleged act took place in a hotel room in Malacca that the duo's employers had reportedly forced them to share.