Malaysian Visa processing now with Jetwing

Official licence handover by MiCE HUBS Travel and Tours Sdn Bhd Managing Director Kenneth Lee to Jetwing Hotels and Jetwing Travels Chairperson Shiromal Cooray

From left: Jetwing Travels Executive Director Raju Arasaratnam, MiCE HUBS Travel and Tours Sdn Bhd Managing Director Kenneth Lee and Guest of Honour High Commissioner of Malaysia to Sri Lanka and Maldives  Tan Yang Thai ceremoniously opening the sole visa processing centre for Malaysia in Sri Lanka at the Jetwing House, Navam Mawatha, Colombo 2 – Pix by Ruwan Walpola

By Darshana Abayasingha

Jetwing Travels broke new ground yesterday as it together with MiCE Hubs Travel and Tours Sdn Bhd became the sole visa processing centre for Malaysia in Sri Lanka.

Speaking to the Daily FT, Malaysia’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Tan Yang Thai said with the reopening of borders after the COVID-19 pandemic the High Commission had seen an increase in the number of visa applications to the country, and this appointment would help them become more efficient in handling requests. “The pandemic altered the job market in Malaysia. Before COVID-19, we were highly dependent on foreign workers especially in the plantation, construction and manufacturing sectors. So, we would like to see them come back and return to our usual productivity. 

“Sri Lanka has always been one of the primary source countries for Malaysia in terms of workers, especially in manufacturing. Before COVID there were over 20,000 Sri Lankan workers in Malaysia, and the number now is about 12,000,” the Malaysian High Commissioner told the Daily FT.

MiCE Hubs Travel and Tours Chairman  Abdul Nasser Bin Abu Kassim said they anticipate Sri Lanka’s economy to rebound over the short- to medium-term, and said his company is also expecting many Sri Lankans to travel to Malaysia on work.

Jetwing Travels Managing Director Shiromal Cooray, told the Daily FT her company always wanted to get into visa processing operations as it complements its business model. “We are happy that we were able to get involved, and it will always be a learning process. They have processed over 60,000 visas to Malaysia in 2018 so it will be a lot of work but interesting,” she added.