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Borneo Post
6 days ago
- Business
- Borneo Post
Outbound travellers in Sabah warned of risky payment terms
Liaw KOTA KINABALU (Aug 13): The Sabah Tour and Travel Agents Association (Satta) has cautioned the public about outbound travel packages that require unusually early and large payments. Satta president Datuk Seri Winston Liaw said certain groups are offering tours that demand a deposit followed by full payment 45 days before departure. 'Normally, payment is collected from tour members 30 days or three weeks before departure, and the full sum is paid to the agent only once the members arrive in the destination country,' he said on Tuesday. According to Liaw, the groups claim the money must be sent to China or Korea 45 days in advance but do not disclose the identity of the operator. 'In 45 days, they can already collect 50 per cent of the payment, and later the remaining balance. This could easily total RM100 million. It's risky because the cash flow is entirely in their hands,' he said. Liaw warned that there have been cases where travellers paid in full but found no arrangements upon arrival, often leading to lengthy legal disputes. 'I'm not against their promotional methods, but the payment system. I don't want Malaysians to be cheated. They have been doing this in Sarawak and West Malaysia, and now they seem to be eyeing Sabah,' he added. While stopping short of calling it a scam, Liaw urged caution and suggested requiring bank guarantees from operators using this payment method as a safeguard. 'It would instil more trust if bank guarantees are issued to each travel agent. This is a very important matter,' he said.
Borneo Post
23-04-2025
- Borneo Post
Satta files complaint against unlicensed social media tour operator
Liaw (right) filing the complaint to the Motac Sabah office. KOTA KINABALU (April 23): The Sabah Tour and Travel Agents Association (Satta) has filed a formal complaint against a social media operator soliciting tours without a proper licence. Satta chairman Datuk Seri Winston Liaw claimed that the local operator had been using Xinjiang China International Travel Service to solicit tour members to deal with Xinjiang CITS, which is not legitimate within Malaysian laws. Liaw reminded that in Malaysia, the operation of any tour and travel activities must have valid licence issued by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC). According to Section 5(2) of the Tourism Industry Act (Act 482), no person shall carry on or operate, or hold himself out as carrying on or operating a tour operating and travel agency business unless it is a company and holds a valid licence. The act also states that anyone who is found guilty will be liable to a fine not exceeding RM500,000 or 10 years jail, or both, for the first offence and a fine of not more than RM5,000 for each day the offence continues to be committed. 'Satta urges the authority to further strengthen the laws by imposing a RM10,000 fine on those tour members who are involved in such activities, applying the 'No Buyers, No Hunters' principle. 'We also urge Xinjiang CITS not to deal with individual social media operators. 'We welcome interaction through any China-Sabah tourism activities within a legitimate framework,' Liaw said after filing the report with Satta secretary-general Henry Yee at the Motac Sabah office here recently.
