Monday, June 26, 2017
Friday, June 16, 2017
Malaysian Tourism tax will be imposed
DPM: Tourism tax will be imposed
The Government is going ahead with its tourism tax to be imposed from July 1.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who disclosed this yesterday, said more funds were needed to support tourism promotion activities.
“At present, some states receive little (funds), some get more,” he said. Under the new tax, hotel guests will be charged between RM2.50 and RM20 for every night’s stay, depending on the classification of the hotel.
Dr Ahmad Zahid disclosed that the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday directed that the tourism tax spat involving Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz and the Sarawak and Sabah governments be put to an end.
“The Prime Minister chaired the Cabinet meeting and I have personally met with the Chief Ministers of Sarawak and Sabah.
“So the chapter is closed,’’ he told reporters after closing an Islamic education workshop here yesterday.
Sarawak Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah had called on the Government to defer the implementation of the tourism tax in Sarawak and Sabah. This invited criticism from Nazri.
Dr Ahmad Zahid also said RM10mil will be given to the Advisory Board for the Coordination of Islamic Education for the enhancement of Islamic educational institutions.
The workshop approved several resolutions, including one on a special mechanism to strengthen Federal-state cooperation in Islamic educational development.
~News courtesy of The Star~
The Government is going ahead with its tourism tax to be imposed from July 1.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who disclosed this yesterday, said more funds were needed to support tourism promotion activities.
“At present, some states receive little (funds), some get more,” he said. Under the new tax, hotel guests will be charged between RM2.50 and RM20 for every night’s stay, depending on the classification of the hotel.
Dr Ahmad Zahid disclosed that the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday directed that the tourism tax spat involving Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz and the Sarawak and Sabah governments be put to an end.
“The Prime Minister chaired the Cabinet meeting and I have personally met with the Chief Ministers of Sarawak and Sabah.
“So the chapter is closed,’’ he told reporters after closing an Islamic education workshop here yesterday.
Sarawak Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah had called on the Government to defer the implementation of the tourism tax in Sarawak and Sabah. This invited criticism from Nazri.
Dr Ahmad Zahid also said RM10mil will be given to the Advisory Board for the Coordination of Islamic Education for the enhancement of Islamic educational institutions.
The workshop approved several resolutions, including one on a special mechanism to strengthen Federal-state cooperation in Islamic educational development.
~News courtesy of The Star~
Saturday, June 10, 2017
Matta supports tourism tax
Matta supports tourism tax, but ...
The Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents (Matta) is urging the Government to delay the rollout of the impending Tourism Tax (TTx), or at least parts of it.
While saying the association is behind the tax, its president Datuk Hamzah Rahmat said the Aug 1 implementation date may not be an ideal time.
The TTx will not only affect domestic tourists, but also Malaysians who have to travel for other purposes such as studies, medical treatments or family obligations.
"Those people who have to travel will have to travel, and they will be forced to pay for it. It doesn’t just affect tourists," he said on Wednesday.
Hamzah suggests the TTx be imposed on 4-star and 5-star hotels first, but be deferred on lower-rated hotels, hostels and accommodation premises to a later date.
“I’m not saying that this tax shouldn't be imposed at all, but now is not the time for it,” he said.
Hamzah added that domestic travel is currently picking up due to the high cost of overseas travel, and he was concerned that an additional tax would deter Malaysians from travelling domestically.
The Penang, Langkawi and Malacca state governments are already charging RM2 to RM9 depending on the type of hotel the guest is staying in.
Passed as part of the Tourism Tax Bill 2017, TTx will see local and international tourists paying a levy to the operators of accommodation premises.
The tax rate is fixed and charged on a per-room, per-night basis.
The rates are RM20 for five-star accommodations, RM10 for four-star accommodations, RM5 for one- to three-star accommodations, and RM2.50 for non-rated accommodations, including budget hotels.
Engineer Lim Chze Hong, 33, who travels twice a month for work, said the TTx would be an unnecessary burden for Malaysians and should only be imposed on foreign tourists.
"It is an extra burden on top of the funds we need to spend to travel outstation for work, regardless if the rooms are paid for by the company or not.
“If this is a ‘tourism tax’, then they should not impose the tax on anyone who books a room using their MyKad,” he said.
Meanwhile, 41-year-old writer Vivan Chong said that she wouldn't mind paying the tax if the revenue was used to develop the local tourism industry.
She however asked if there are solid plans in place regarding the funding.
"The rates are not a burden money-wise, but I think the real question is, who is this supposed to benefit in the first place and why are we being taxed for already contributing to the economy by travelling locally," she added.
Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz had said that the tax revenue would be spent mainly on tourism and infrastructure development throughout the country.
He said the tax was necessary because the Government needed to mitigate uncertainties in the oil-and-gas industry, adding that the Government was expected to collect about RM800mil annually through the new tax.
~News courtesy of The Star~
The Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents (Matta) is urging the Government to delay the rollout of the impending Tourism Tax (TTx), or at least parts of it.
While saying the association is behind the tax, its president Datuk Hamzah Rahmat said the Aug 1 implementation date may not be an ideal time.
The TTx will not only affect domestic tourists, but also Malaysians who have to travel for other purposes such as studies, medical treatments or family obligations.
"Those people who have to travel will have to travel, and they will be forced to pay for it. It doesn’t just affect tourists," he said on Wednesday.
Hamzah suggests the TTx be imposed on 4-star and 5-star hotels first, but be deferred on lower-rated hotels, hostels and accommodation premises to a later date.
“I’m not saying that this tax shouldn't be imposed at all, but now is not the time for it,” he said.
Hamzah added that domestic travel is currently picking up due to the high cost of overseas travel, and he was concerned that an additional tax would deter Malaysians from travelling domestically.
The Penang, Langkawi and Malacca state governments are already charging RM2 to RM9 depending on the type of hotel the guest is staying in.
Passed as part of the Tourism Tax Bill 2017, TTx will see local and international tourists paying a levy to the operators of accommodation premises.
The tax rate is fixed and charged on a per-room, per-night basis.
The rates are RM20 for five-star accommodations, RM10 for four-star accommodations, RM5 for one- to three-star accommodations, and RM2.50 for non-rated accommodations, including budget hotels.
Engineer Lim Chze Hong, 33, who travels twice a month for work, said the TTx would be an unnecessary burden for Malaysians and should only be imposed on foreign tourists.
"It is an extra burden on top of the funds we need to spend to travel outstation for work, regardless if the rooms are paid for by the company or not.
“If this is a ‘tourism tax’, then they should not impose the tax on anyone who books a room using their MyKad,” he said.
Meanwhile, 41-year-old writer Vivan Chong said that she wouldn't mind paying the tax if the revenue was used to develop the local tourism industry.
She however asked if there are solid plans in place regarding the funding.
"The rates are not a burden money-wise, but I think the real question is, who is this supposed to benefit in the first place and why are we being taxed for already contributing to the economy by travelling locally," she added.
Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz had said that the tax revenue would be spent mainly on tourism and infrastructure development throughout the country.
He said the tax was necessary because the Government needed to mitigate uncertainties in the oil-and-gas industry, adding that the Government was expected to collect about RM800mil annually through the new tax.
~News courtesy of The Star~
Thursday, June 8, 2017
马来西亚所有酒店8月起 向房客征旅游税
所有酒店8月起 向房客征旅游税
马来西亚政府宣布，从8月1日起，所有酒店将向房客征收每晚介于2.5令吉至20令吉的旅游税。
征税介于2.5至20令吉 视酒店级别而定
据关税局发表的公告，业者可从7月1日起向关税局登记。该局也列出不同酒店应征收的旅游税：五星级酒店20令吉；四星级酒店10令吉；一、二及三星级酒店5令吉；一、二及三胡姬花级酒店2.5令吉；无级别住宿2.5令吉。
无论如何，五种酒店及民宿可豁免登记及征收旅游税，分别为向旅游部民宿（Homestay）计划、甘榜住宿（Kampungstay）计划民宿、宗教团体所创办及注册的非商业用途住宿、少过10间客房的住宿及国州政府机构所经营的非商业用途住宿。
关税局说，业者必须在30天内向关税局注册，违例者可被判罚款不超过三万令吉或坐牢不超过一年，或两者兼施。
去年，旅游部长纳兹里坦承，由于国库收入减少，必须征收旅游税，作为推广马来西亚旅游业的经费。他预计这将为国家带来高达8.7亿令吉的税收。
由于马国目前落实消费税，加上马六甲、槟城及浮罗交怡的酒店早已征收文化遗产保护费、地方政府管理费及旅游推广费，因此酒店业者称这将进一步剥弱马来西亚旅游业的竞争力，因为一旦落实新的旅游税，国內酒店就会被征收双重或三重税务。
尽管旅游业者反对，但国会在4月通过了2017年旅游税法案。根据该法令，酒店业者必须向游客征收旅游税，游客若没有缴税，可被禁离境，直到还清旅游税为止，或给予一些能让关税局总监满意的抵押或保障。
~联合早报~
马来西亚政府宣布，从8月1日起，所有酒店将向房客征收每晚介于2.5令吉至20令吉的旅游税。
征税介于2.5至20令吉 视酒店级别而定
据关税局发表的公告，业者可从7月1日起向关税局登记。该局也列出不同酒店应征收的旅游税：五星级酒店20令吉；四星级酒店10令吉；一、二及三星级酒店5令吉；一、二及三胡姬花级酒店2.5令吉；无级别住宿2.5令吉。
无论如何，五种酒店及民宿可豁免登记及征收旅游税，分别为向旅游部民宿（Homestay）计划、甘榜住宿（Kampungstay）计划民宿、宗教团体所创办及注册的非商业用途住宿、少过10间客房的住宿及国州政府机构所经营的非商业用途住宿。
关税局说，业者必须在30天内向关税局注册，违例者可被判罚款不超过三万令吉或坐牢不超过一年，或两者兼施。
去年，旅游部长纳兹里坦承，由于国库收入减少，必须征收旅游税，作为推广马来西亚旅游业的经费。他预计这将为国家带来高达8.7亿令吉的税收。
由于马国目前落实消费税，加上马六甲、槟城及浮罗交怡的酒店早已征收文化遗产保护费、地方政府管理费及旅游推广费，因此酒店业者称这将进一步剥弱马来西亚旅游业的竞争力，因为一旦落实新的旅游税，国內酒店就会被征收双重或三重税务。
尽管旅游业者反对，但国会在4月通过了2017年旅游税法案。根据该法令，酒店业者必须向游客征收旅游税，游客若没有缴税，可被禁离境，直到还清旅游税为止，或给予一些能让关税局总监满意的抵押或保障。
~联合早报~
Thursday, June 1, 2017
AirAsia warns of ticket scams
AirAsia warns of ticket scams
AirAsia is warning the public of a scam using its brand name on social media.
In the scam, free tickets are offered through an online survey and participants are directed to the website www.airasia.com-2017-givea.us where they are required to answer a few questions to redeem vouchers.
There is also another scam circulating on Facebook offering 268 free AirAsia tickets in conjunction with AirAsia’s 28th anniversary.
In a press statement released yesterday, AirAsia stressed that the two social media posts are scams.
“The public is strongly advised to ignore those posts and not click on any link or provide any personal information, as AirAsia is not held liable for any claims pertaining to the false schemes,” said the statement.
All official announcement will be made through AirAsia’s official channel and credible mass media, it added.
Should the public encounter any suspected scams or would like clarification, please access www.facebook.com/airasia, www.twitter.com/airasia or www.airasia.com/ask.
~News courtesy of The Star~
AirAsia is warning the public of a scam using its brand name on social media.
In the scam, free tickets are offered through an online survey and participants are directed to the website www.airasia.com-2017-givea.us where they are required to answer a few questions to redeem vouchers.
There is also another scam circulating on Facebook offering 268 free AirAsia tickets in conjunction with AirAsia’s 28th anniversary.
In a press statement released yesterday, AirAsia stressed that the two social media posts are scams.
“The public is strongly advised to ignore those posts and not click on any link or provide any personal information, as AirAsia is not held liable for any claims pertaining to the false schemes,” said the statement.
All official announcement will be made through AirAsia’s official channel and credible mass media, it added.
Should the public encounter any suspected scams or would like clarification, please access www.facebook.com/airasia, www.twitter.com/airasia or www.airasia.com/ask.
~News courtesy of The Star~
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)