Long path to Selangor Tourism decision

• Four agencies vying for Selangor Tourism may have to wait till mid-April
• Presented last Friday to Selangor exco members
• Selangor Tourism anxious to get re-branding underway

Malaysia - The four agencies waiting for a result on the Selangor Tourism account will need to wait till next month for an answer from the state government.

Last Friday, Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim and his exco members sat through presentations by the agencies and it looks like the decision will be made by the state government who will then present it to the board of directors of the state's tourism body on April 14.

Selangor Tourism tells A+M that the account was for a re-branding project with a new logo and tagline for the organisation and the state government is going through a thorough review to ensure transparency before a decision is made.

"The government and the Mentri Besar is also answerable to other parties so there are questions like why the need for this effort which we had to answer.

"We are also waiting anxiously for a decision to be made so we can go on with our work as well," said an insider, adding that current projects had to go on with the old logo pending the decision as they had no choice.

Sources also say that Abdul Khalid recognises the importance of tourism "which is a supporting element for the state's economic growth and the only way for us to drive this is through organising grand events but we can't do so without our new logo".

In February, A+M reported the four as McCann Erickson, Naga DDB, Dentsu and Leo Burnett who first answered the pitch call on Feb 19.

It is now apparent that the state is not waiting for the return of Elizabeth Wong, state Tourism, Consumer Affairs and Environment state executive committee chairwoman to make a decision.

Her leave has been extended twice - now till April 15, pending investigations - before the state decides whether or not to accept her resignation or allow her to vacate her exco position but continue as an assemblywoman.

Wong's portfolios have been handed to other exco members in the state.