MOST Malaysian travel agents were hesitant to organise trips to Beijing despite the excitement surrounding the upcoming Olympic Games due to the strict visa regulations imposed by the Chinese Embassy, reported Sin Chew Daily.

"Currently, the cost of accommodation in China has gone up by as high as 10 times. Therefore, tours to Beijing will only resume after the Olympic Games," the daily said.

It said Malaysian tourists preferred to travel after the international event to avoid the Olympics crowd.

On another matter, the daily said in its editorial that strict monitoring would not only help the Government control its budget and expenditure when carrying out projects but would also ensure public safety.

"However, if the procedures of these projects were to be corrupted by personal interests and bribery, its quality will definitely be compromised.

"The professionalism and ethics of the officers involved are the factors that will determine the quality of a project," he said.