By J.D. LOVRENCIEAR
THE government of Malaysia must take immediate cognisance of what experts and governments are saying about a highly possible, extended Covid-19 presence.
Singapore believes that the effects of Covid-19 are expected to run for four to five years.
Our neighbour to the north Thailand has already reset its tourism trade, with domestic tourism promotion geared to go big.
What we should be doing with frantic urgency is to rewire our domestic trade and tackle domestic tourism.
To do so effectively, engage hotels and restaurant operators to work hard in attracting local tourism.
We should review accommodation pricing, it must commensurate with the rewired economic realities.
Business permits must be approved in a fast and timely manner in order to instil enthusiasm in doing business.
Promote local cultures and culinary experiences in a new way. There are enough creative citizens to contribute ideas and know-how.
Tour operators can come up with special travel and tour promotions throughout the national calender for the next three years to encourage Malaysians to travel the length and breadth of the country.
The government should implement what Thailand has already achieved by providing well-planned, and maintained parks and open spaces, with huts around lakes, scenic valleys and rivers for families to go out and enjoy nature’s blessings at low cost.
They should also engage toll operators to offer 50% discounts during public holidays, school breaks and weekends to make it affordable for locals to travel.
Agriculture should also be looked into seriously. We neglected it for a good three decades in search of export and import profits.
Get all local councils and state governments to release vacant, uncultivated land to encourage youths to engage in smallholding crop cultivation and animal husbandry.
Like Thailand, moblise agriculture and veterinary institutions to get cracking in providing productive and effective assistance to youths so that they succeed in their ventures.
It is also time to abolish the middleman and monopoly structures of domestic trade.
In this age of the internet marketing and logistics, farmer-to-consumer contact does not need nuclear science to develop and sustain.
We need to be ready for the long haul, current and post covid pandemic, that is now believed to take a good five years to overcome.
Tackle the problem with SMEs, they have to be the sustaining engines of domestic consumption. Indeed domestic markets are our immediate salvation.
Believe it or not, the world is desperately rewiring fast. Malaysians do not have the luxury to dream big like they did over the past 20 years.
We need to seize the opportunity arising from this great crisis affecting humanity and fast reset the nation. Meritocracy will lift all of us.
Plugging corruption will motivate citizens to be the nation’s best.
Our “muhibbah” spirit and “gotong royong” disposition must be capitalised as a national, top priority agenda.
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