KUALA LUMPUR, 15 July 2025: The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) has headlined the growing concern in the country’s tourism industry over recent developments affecting land transportation regulations and proposed amendments to the Tourism Industry Act 1992 (TIA) by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC).
Following a spate of recent tragic incidents involving tour buses, MOTAC has issued an urgent call to reassert regulatory oversight over land transport services. Among the proposed measures raised by MOTAC is the requirement for agencies to provide 24-hour incident reporting on tour vehicles. While MATTA acknowledges the importance of timely accountability and safety, the current approach raises practical concerns.

MATTA has called for clarification from the Road Transport Department (JPJ) on the scope of its policy to suspend drivers involved in road accidents. It remains unclear whether the suspension applies solely to fatal incidents or extends to all cases, including minor ones.
The suggestion of imposing swift punitive measures may place an undue burden on agencies, particularly when the fault lies with a third-party driver or transport operator, not the travel agency as a whole.
“Some travel agencies manage full-scale travel operations, not just transportation,” said MATTA Nigel Wong. “To propose revoking an entire tourism licence due to a transportation-related issue, especially when the fault lies with a third-party driver or the vehicle provider, is neither proportionate nor constructive. Reforms must be fair, targeted, and considerate of operational realities,” he noted.
The Association maintains that any punitive measures should be evidence-based, not blanket in nature, to avoid unintentionally penalising compliant businesses.
“MATTA fully supports the government’s initiative to modernise the Tourism Industry Act. We firmly believe that reforms must be practical, inclusive, and aligned with the realities faced by industry players on the ground,” said Wong. “Recent developments, especially those concerning licensing and compliance, have sparked significant concern among our members. These views must be acknowledged and addressed collectively.”
To tackle this issue, MATTA is currently conducting a nationwide series of Town Hall Sessions to address these pressing concerns. This initiative serves as a platform for direct engagement between MATTA and its members, creating a safe space for open dialogue on the implications of the proposed legislative changes, enabling the collection of feedback from industry players across Malaysia.
The Townhall Series has already taken place in Johor and Kuala Lumpur and will continue in other key regions, including Sabah, Penang, and Terengganu. These sessions are instrumental in capturing ground-level insights and concerns, which MATTA will consolidate into formal feedback for submission to the relevant ministries and agencies.
MATTA’s main priority is to safeguard the interests of its members and ensure that the future of Malaysia’s tourism ecosystem is shaped by policies that are not only visionary but also reflective of on-the-ground realities. These sessions are crucial in capturing ground-level sentiment and actionable input that MATTA will consolidate into formal feedback to be submitted to relevant ministries and agencies.
(Source: MATTA).