Malaysia to grant visa-free entry to Chinese and Indian tourists

Malaysia’s prime minister Anwar Ibrahim has announced the move from December 1.

Malaysia.- Malaysia’s prime minister Anwar Ibrahim has announced that Chinese and Indian citizens will be able to enter the country without a visa for up to 30 days from December 1. In a speech at his party’s annual congress on Sunday (November 26), he said the move aims to boost tourism.

Currently, Singapore and Indonesia are the primary contributors to Malaysia’s tourism sector, according to official data. With this policy change, Malaysia aims to diversify its source markets. Genting Malaysia Bhd, the operator of Malaysia’s sole licensed casino complex, Resorts World Genting, anticipates positive outcomes.

In its third-quarter results, the casino operator posted a net profit of MYR177.4m (US$37.9m), compared to a profit of MYR11.4m last year. The figure was up 276.6 per cent in quarter-on-quarter terms.

Revenue was up 19.3 per cent year-on-year to MYR2.71bn and up 9.7 per cent in quarter-on-quarter terms. Adjusted earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) was up 22.6 per cent year-on-year to MYR747.6m and up 66.9 per cent when compared to the previous quarter.