KUALA LUMPUR, Nov. 14 -- The Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry conceded the safety rating downgrade of the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) by the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) will indirectly affect Visit Malaysia Year 2020.

However, Deputy Minister Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik told Parliament during Question Time that it will not affect carriers that do not have codeshare agreements with US-based airlines.

"I admit that indirectly it will have an impact on foreign tourists with CAAM being downgraded to Category Two. But I have checked with a few airlines and they told me it doesn't affect them unless there is codesharing.

"This will impact MAS because it has codesharing with American Airlines.

"At the same time, the ...