APTTF’s CEO claims event received verbal support from ministry

PETALING JAYA: Asia Pacific Tourism and Travel Federation (APTTF) chief executive officer Adeva Sangkuni claimed that its recent awards event received verbal support from the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry but conversations went silent after last year’s change of government.

“We had communicated with Tourism Malaysia on the endorsements of the APTTF Annual Awards 2019, including sending the invitation and making phone calls a year before the event,” he added.

“Prior to that, we had spoken to ministry officials. At that time, we were given verbal approval that the ministry would support such good initiatives for the Malaysian hospitality, tourism and travel industry.”

Adeva said the conversations halted after the Pakatan Harapan government took office in May 2018.

“We received a response that the minister was unable to make it due to his busy schedule and they wished us well,” he claimed.

“Due to this confusion and delays, we did not use the Tourism Malaysia and Malaysia Airlines logos at our event.”

During the awards ceremony the two logos were not displayed.

However, the APTTF Awards programme seen by The Star indicated that the Tourism Minister was scheduled to attend and it had the logos of the two organisations.

Adeva did not address the reference to Malaysia Airlines.

An online search led to a website warning people that Adeva, who also goes by the name Sangkuny P Kunjan, is a “scam businessman in Singapore”.

The website displayed a court order from the Singapore Small Claims Tribunal ordering Adeva’s company, British Golf Asia Pte Ltd, to pay S$9,904 to Vernz Consulting Pte Ltd over overdue payments for a web design project.

“This is about my dealing with a website design company under my previous employer/partners. Under the court order, the vendor was supposed to finish the website design. He refused but demanded payment,” he said.

“He then published my name with that scam statement,” he said, adding that he lodged a police report over the matter.