KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Hotel operators in Malaysia should not undervalue themselves as competitive pricing may result in foreign tourists being skeptical about the services rendered.

    The Star, a local daily, quoted Malaysian Tourism Minister Ng Yen Yen here on Saturday as saying that when tourists visiting Malaysia looked at the competitive hotel prices, they would think that the services could not be that good.

    Therefore, hotel operators should review their pricing to more appropriate levels, said Ng after meeting 13 state directors of Tourism Malaysia, a body promoting the tourism industry in the country.

    Ng said that she had heard from some foreign tourists that they were shocked to see hotels with good service and facilities charging low rates, adding that to foreigners, services actually superseded costs.

    Meanwhile, Ng suggested that hotel operators could come up with international and local room rates, allowing Malaysians to get discounts by showing their identity cards.

    She also said that her ministry would write to the Malaysian Association of Hotels and other industry players on the matter.