KAZAN, June 18 — Visa-free travel and direct flights between Malaysia and Russia must be expedited to boost the number of Russian tourists visiting Malaysia, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.
Speaking to Malaysian media at a press conference at the end of his two-day working visit for the ASEAN-Russia Commemorative Summit here, Anwar said the number of Russian tourists visiting Malaysia is low compared with other countries that enjoy good relations with Moscow.
“You see, there are five million tourists (from Russia) annually to Turkiye, two million to Thailand. Fair. But why only 100,000 to Malaysia?
“Issue of flights, issue of payment, the form of payment that makes it very difficult. Sometimes we are too stuck with old procedures, archaic, and too concerned about what some other countries may respond or react negatively,” he said.
Anwar said similar issues also affect other countries, including Iran, and should not be constrained by concerns over how certain countries might react.
