The Malaysia Scuba Diving Association estimates that about 800 companies are involved in marine recreation and scuba diving in the country, with more than 500,000 divers nationwide. (EPA Images)

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysia Scuba Diving Association (MSDA) has urged the government to allocate funds to establish a National Recreational Scuba Diving Safety Council and more licensed dive guides as the industry grows.

In a statement, MSDA said the council would bring together agencies and industry players to address safety, licensing and emergency response.

"Efforts to attract more tourists must be accompanied by improvements in safety and service quality,” it said in a statement.

MSDA estimates that about 800 to 1,000 licensed dive guides are needed. However, it said only about 200 people have attended the Island Host course, which is required when applying for a dive guide licence from the tourism, arts and culture ministry.