Nazri: Tourism tax takes effect from July 1

KUALA LUMPUR, 9 June 2017: 

The ‘Tourism Tax’ – which is set to see rates of between RM2.50 to RM20 charged for a night’s stay – will be enforced as scheduled on July 1, said Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz.

Rejecting claims the implementation of the tax would be postponed, he said yesterday: “The gazette (on Tourism Tax) is automatic, in accordance with the country’s procedures, when it is approved by the Parliament, the gazette is automatic.

“If we want to say it has not been gazetted, that’s right, but it cannot prevent the will of our MPs who have unanimously approved to implement this tax, and it will be implemented. So our target is July 1.”

He said tax would be applied at registered hotels and inns. During the last session of Parliament, the Tourism Tax Bill 2017 tabled by Mohamed Nazri was approved by majority vote.

When winding up debate on the bill, Mohamed Nazri said the tax would be able to bring in an income of about RM654.62 million if there was a 60% occupancy rate at over 11 million hotel rooms in the country.

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