AIRBNB operators are urged to register with the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry for the sake of their guests who are tourists.

Secretary-general of the ministry, Isham Ishak said the authorities would like to know who the operators are. 

“We will have a dialogue with them (operators) and see how we can (help) them. What’s most important to the government is the welfare of (the guests).

“We want to make sure that tourists who come to Malaysia are taken care of,” he said at a press conference in Putrajaya today. 

He said the ministry seeks to better understand the operators so that it can help them in contributing to tourist arrivals. 

Last week Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Mohamaddin Ketapi said unlicensed operators of hotels, including Airbnb hosts, must register with the ministry to avoid legal action. 

He said the authorities are actively tracking down unlicensed operators. 

Following the announcement, Airbnb said the authorities do not have registration forms for the hosts to fill out. – February 27, 2019.