A full reopening of Malaysia’s borders would be positive for the economy, given that tourism sector will be the immediate beneficiary and its close linkages with other industries, according to Bank Islam Malaysia Bhd chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid.
“In 2019, the tourism sector accounted for 12.5% of gross domestic product (GDP) and the bulk of it is contributed by accommodation and shopping activities. As such, we can expect the spillover effects to be significant to our country,” says Mohd Afzanizam.