Tourism tax to stay, for now

Noel Achariam Noel Achariam Updated 7 years ago · Published on 12 Jul 2018 7:42PM · 4 Comments

Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Mohammadin Ketapi says he cannot reveal if the tourism will be scrapped or not as discussions are still ongoing about the matter. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Najjua Zulkefli, July 12, 2018.

THE Tourism Tax is unlikely to scrapped for the moment, said Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Mohammadin Ketapi.

He said that the ministry wont abolish it as more discussion is needed.

“I cannot reveal now whether it will be scrapped.

“If it benefits the country then we will do, if it does not then we won’t,” he said after the ministry’s Hari Raya open house at the Malaysian Tourism Centre.

The government is looking to review the tourism tax to ensure that it would not affect tourist arrivals to the country.

He said the charges of RM10 per room per night for foreign tourists needed to be reviewed to determine whether it was reasonable or too high.

Mohammadin said the matter will be discussed with the Finance Ministry and industry players before a decision is reached.

Mohamaddin also said that the ministry is also looking at the policies that was set by the previous government.

“We will have to review the policies (set by them).”

He said that because the government wants to attract tourists, they need to find a method that can be accepted so it will be easier for them to visit Malaysia.

Mohamaddin said if the tax is too high, people will not want to visit the country.

He said if the ministry impose a moderate tax or even an acceptable tax, more people will come.

He also said that the public is encouraged to give their ideas on how to improve the current Tourism Malaysia logo.

“We are open for the public to submit their ideas to get the best design for the logo.” – July 12, 2018.

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Comments

  • Control the taxis. When I use taxi waiting at hotels, I have to bargain. Almost every meter in every taxi is spoilt.

    Posted 7 years ago by Y Chua · Reply

    • I was cheated by a taxi driver when I was still a student back in 1975. Now 43 years later my son is forced to pay more by the taxi drivers waiting at LRT stations bcos they still refuse to use the meter. Nothing change under the BN ministers. Hopefully PH ministers have the ability to fix this problem.

      Posted 7 years ago by Zaki Razak · Reply

  • I am a lodging operator with room rate from RM35 to RM45 per night . The Tourism tax of RM10 that I have to impose on my customers who are foreign workers from oil palm estates does not make any sense at all. They are not "tourist" and small time operator like us should be exempted. I am from Lahad Datu.

    Posted 7 years ago by Anthony Teo · Reply

  • Mohamad Ketapi is one Minister who has done nothing good or new over the last 63 days compared to Gobind and especially Anthony Loke. I think Tun got the wrong guy for the job.

    Posted 7 years ago by Zaki Razak · Reply