Tour bus must have tour guide - MOTAC

MELAKA,  Jan 12 (Bernama) -- Tour bus operators are reminded to always get registered tour guides for their bus service.

Director at the Melaka office of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (MOTAC), Jay Yeow said failing which, they could be subject to a compound under the Tourism Industry Act.

He said an integrated operation involving the ministry’s offices in Putrajaya, Negeri Sembilan and Johor, as well as the Melaka Road Transport Department (JPJ) was conducted last week.

"Of the 20 tour buses that entered Melaka, five of them were imposed the maximum of RM5,000 for not using the services of a tour guide," he told reporters at the launch of the Ramadan menu at Imperial Heritage Hotel here last night.

He said there were 170 registered tour guides in Melaka.

According to him, a tour bus should have a tour guide, but if it is used for other purposes, where it does not involve carrying tourists, the bus operator is required to apply for permission, for example, to transport students to a school programme.

 "We have received many complaints regarding tour buses that do not provide tour guides, but the information given is incomplete which makes it difficult for us to investigate,” he said and advised the public to lodge complaints by providing complete information to MOTAC's Public Complaint Management System (SISPAA) at  https://motac.spab.gov.my to facilitate faster enforcement.

-- BERNAMA