PUTRAJAYA: The initiatives of National People's Well-Being and Economic Recovery Package (PEMULIH) should be channeled to industry practitioners to rehabilitate the country's tourism and culture industry, said Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.

She said the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (MOTAC) would ensure coordination and monitoring so that the implementation of PEMULIH proceeded on smoothly and that industry practitioners received the benefits of the initiatives.

"MOTAC hopes the initiatives of PEMULIH could be channel quickly to give them a boost to bounce back again and to jointly restore the country's tourism and culture industry," she said in statement on PEMULIH initiatives today.

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday launched the RM150 billion PEMULIH package including RM10 billion direct fiscal injection to provide assistance to the people.

Among the aid which could benefit the tourism and culture sector through PEMULIH is the extension of the 10 per cent electricity bill discount from October to December 2021 to operators of hotels, theme parks, convention centres shopping centres, local tourism companies as well as travel and tour agencies.

The others were the one-off special assistance of RM3,000 to more than 5,300 tour agencies registered with MOTAC, deferment of tax instalment payment for companies and exemption from tourism tax and service tax for hotel operators until the end of the year.

Nancy said the PEMULIH initiative showed the seriousness of the federal government in ensuring the tourism, arts and culture industry which was affected by the full movement control continued to receive help.

"MOTAC is thankful to the caring government in ensuring all parties in the economic chain get the appropriate assistance," she said.

Nancy also called on industry practitioners to jointly support the efforts of the government in forming herd immunity to enable the Tourism Rehabilitation Plan to be implemented and succeed in the COVID-19 Free Destination programme.

-- BERNAMA