Proposals by several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to rename certain places, including Port Dickson, could harm the area’s tourism sector, says Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.
He said introducing new names may confuse visitors, especially international tourists, who might think these are new destinations rather than well-established ones.
“In terms of tourism, in my view there’s no need to change the names. There are many more important matters we can focus on. Foreign tourists may become confused, thinking it’s a new destination and losing interest in visiting, even though it’s been around for a long time,” he told reporters at the Ministry’s engagement programme with Negeri Sembilan tourism industry players on Monday night.
Tiong was commenting on proposals by some NGOs to change the names of certain places, including Port Dickson, in an effort to remove colonial-era names.
However, he said it is up to the state government to assess the proposals, and if there is no pressing need, existing names should be retained.
“Even if we announce the changes on social media, not everyone reads them,” he added.
Earlier, Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun had criticised attempts by several NGOs to rename Port Dickson as “Pantai Dermaga” to erase remnants of British colonial identity. He said those groups should be more open-minded about keeping the Port Dickson name, which already has its own identity and is widely recognised.
