No Impact on Flow of Malaysians to Batam

BATAM, KOMPAS.com - The flow of Malaysian tourists coming to Batam is normal although the Malaysian government has issued a travel advisory.   "Malaysian tourist arrival in Indonesia is still normal,"  Batam harbormaster Sahara said on Thursday in Batam.      In  July 2010, he said, 94,000 foreigners came to Batam from Malaysia. In August the number was 90,000. According to him, the travel advisory of the Malaysian government did not affect tourist arrivals.

He said everyday about 500 Malaysians come to Batam through three ferryports in Batam, namely Sekupang, Batam center and Nongsa point. Meanwhile, the operator of Indomas which serves Stulang laut voyage from Malaysia to Batam, Amir, said the number of passengers from Malaysia to Batam was relatively normal.      "(It’s) still normal. It is not affected by recent disruption in the Indonesia and Malaysian relationship," he said. According to him, every Ramadhan, the number of foreigners to Batam actually always decreases.       "When Ramadhan has come, the number of passengers is decreasing, that is normal," he said.  Everyday, Indomas brings 200 foreign tourists from Malaysia. Indomas serves four departures with two ships to Batam centre international terminal.

"Every trip, the ship bring 50 people, while the capacity is 100 people," he said.      In a separate place, the Head of Tourism agency Batam chapter, Guntur Sakti admitted there is an an increase in the number of Malaysian tourists to Indonesia.