KUALA LUMPUR: The government should recognise the importance of the business events (BE) industry, especially in assisting efforts to nurse the economy back to recovery, said the Member Advisory Council (MAC) Asia Pacific, World Trade Center Association (WTCA).
Its chairman Datuk Seri Irmohizam Ibrahim said the BE industry needs to survive during this pandemic period and urged the government to stop classifying the sector as social activities under the country’s National Recovery Plan (NRP).
“Survival is a must; therefore, the reclassification of this industry as economic activities (under NRP) should be done now. We (business industry players) cannot suffer from another loss of RM4.05 billion.
“Moreover, the wave of unemployment is getting huge as we wait for Phase Four of the NRP (before given permission to resume operating again).
“We hope the government could identify specific economic assistance to help BE players during these trying times,” he said in a statement today, adding that the government should initiate more engagement with players in the BE industry and recognise their contribution to the country’s economy.
He urged the government to ease restrictions imposed on the BE industry.
The country’s BE industry, according to him, should be allowed to resume operations immediately and start contributing to revive the local economy, but with strict adherence to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) as laid out by the government. – Bernama
