The government today stood firmly by its move to block entry of visitors from China and Hong Kong, despite protests from tour operators who feared it would batter the tourism industry.

Hong Kong also expressed deep regret over what it said was an "unjustified" move and urged Malaysia to reconsider its decision.

But Tourism Minister Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir said Malaysia has decided to go "all out" to curb the spread of the mysterious Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) virus.

"Instead of being half-hearted to fight this tragedy... it's better that we really sacrifice everything, go all out for o­ne or two months to overcome this problem," he told reporters.

"That's why the government has taken this painful but firm and necessary decision. We are now even telling people, please don't come to Malaysia."

New requirements

The immigration department yesterday introduced visa requirements for people from Hong Kong and ordered a temporary freeze o­n tourist arrivals from there and mainland China in a bid to block the spread of the virus.

Government officials and business travellers are exempted but o­nly if they can produce a medical declaration that they are free from Sars symptoms.

Malaysia has also imposed visa requirements o­n travellers from Canada and Vietnam, both hit by the Sars outbreak.

But visitors from neighbouring Singapore, where nine people have died from SARS, can still travel freely into Malaysia. Industry observers said it would be difficult to impose any restrictions as thousands of Malaysians travel daily to the island-state to work.

Domino effect

The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) expressed "strong concern o­n these sudden and drastic measures," noting that even the World Health Organisation has not recommended any such "blanket" restrictions.

It noted that Malaysia was the first country in the world to freeze visas, and no consultation had been made with the tourism sector.

The industry is set to lose RM1.425 million in revenue over the next five days as more than 5,000 tourists expected from mainland China would be turned away, it said in a statement.

Cancellation of tours would also lead to a domino effect o­n operators, hotels, airlines, restaurants and other sectors related to the industry, it warned.

China is a key market for Malaysian tourism, with some 500,000 visiting Malaysia last year.

"This move will seriously affect the past and present efforts to promote tourism into Malaysia," Matta chairman Tunku Iskandar Tunku Abdullah ( photo ) told AFP .

"The industry is already hurting and this will worsen the situation. It is not just a loss of revenue but it is inconvenient and potential bad may arise."

Medical certification

Tunku Iskandar said the visa freeze was not a solution as it did not apply to non-citizens coming from the affected countries.

Matta urged the government to replace the blanket restrictions with an immediate requirement for medical certification to show that visa applicants were Sars free.

It called o­n the government to be transparent and open in releasing detailed information to the industry.

Hong Kong has also expressed deep regret over the visa ban which it said was unnecessary and unjustified, and urged Malaysia to reconsider its decision. AFP