Tourists stranded in Malaysia have confidence with the government’s efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19 and prefer to stay here than go home, senior minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said today.

He said these tourists have no option to fly home as all flights globally have been suspended due to the Covid-19 outbreak but they seem happy to be here as they feel the Covid-19 outbreak has been handled poorly in their home country.

This comes amid reports that in Terengganu, European tourists visiting several islands in the state are refusing to go home for fear of catching the Covid-19 infection.

State Tourism Department Director Abdul Rasid Jusoh was reported saying that since the middle of last month and there are still 40 foreign tourists present in Pulau Perhentian, five in Pulau Redang dan three in Pulau Tenggol, Dungun.

“Not just in Terengganu but in other places as well like Langkawi, Tioman and Cameron HIghlands ... there are still tourists here.

“They prefer to stay here as they feel their home country has not handled the Covid-19 situation well and we are doing better than them,” said Ismail during his daily security briefings on Covid-19.

Ismail said many of the remaining tourists have been here since before the MCO and they are allowed to stay here as long as the pandemic is around.

He, however, said they will have to pay for their own accommodation.

“We won’t chase anyone away since none of these tourists had tested positive for Covid-19,” said Ismail.

“However they will have to pay for their stay on their own during the MCO as even if they wanted to leave there are no flights available,” he added.