Langkawi, 9th November 2021 – Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) has organised the ‘Langkawi Selamat (Safe Langkawi) Programme: New Normal Culture Practice To Prevent COVID-19 Spread’ which focuses on the safety of Langkawi community. The programme aims to heighten the awareness and further increase the knowledge of community on new values and norms for them to protect themselves, their families, and the whole community, in hope of thwarting the vicious spread of COVID-19.
For safety and health of the local community as well as tourists visiting Langkawi, the implementation of this programme therefore involves a few targeted groups which include:
i. Taxi/e-hailing drivers;
ii. Schools and educational centres;
iii. Tourist guide associations; and
iv. Small business operators and retailers in Langkawi.
The programme would be organised in stages in a few sessions. The first session involves Oriental Village Langkawi area. The next session would be held in collaboration with the related societies or NGOs in Langkawi, some of them in Pulau Tuba, as well as with several schools on this legendary island. Through the method of meeting the community on-site, this programme is carried out by distributing face masks and hand sanitisers to targeted groups. The community would also be enlightened on the importance of practising personal hygiene. In addition, awareness banners on SOP compliance would also be distributed and displayed at public premises to encourage all parties to work together to support the frontliners in combatting the spread of COVID-19 virus.
“LADA has prepared 30,000 boxes of face masks along with 14,000 units of hand sanitisers to be distributed to the entire ‘Keluarga Langkawi’ as part of the methods to educate and inculcate awareness on self-regulation among the local community, especially in facing the challenges of living with this COVID-19 pandemic,” says YBrs. Tuan Nasaruddin bin Abdul Muttalib, Chief Executive Officer of LADA.
In the same programme, he also commented that Langkawi is currently preparing for international tourism reopening. Until 5th November 2021, a total of 240,361 local tourists have entered Langkawi with entry average of around 8500 tourists per day. LADA is optimistic that if Langkawi is reopened to international visitors with strict and organised SOP compliance, this island would be the main destination selected by many tourists in due time.
