Sarawak rejects proposed share of tourism tax

Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Openg (second right) arriving for the opening of the Second International Conference on Special Education. He said Sarawak will negotiate with Putrajaya again to get better deals from the tourism tax collection, July 31,2017.

— Picture by Sulok Tawie

KUCHING, July 31 — The Sarawak government has rejected Putrajaya’s offer of 10 per cent from collections of the Tourism Tax, Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Openg said today.

“That (RM1 for every RM10 collected) is not what we have discussed with the federal government before,” he told reporters after opening the Second International Conference in Special Education at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here.

He said that when discussing with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, it was agreed that Sarawak, Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia would equally share the revenue.

“We will negotiate with Putrajaya again. Initially, it is not supposed to be RM1,” the chief minister said.

He said Sarawak and Sabah will submit a joint memorandum to Putrajaya on the share of the tax revenue.

Under the federal tourism tax that will come into force tomorrow, foreigners will pay RM10 per room per night at all local hotels. Malaysians are exempted.

Initially, the rates were to start from RM2.50 per room per night for non-rated hotels to RM20 per room per night at five stars hotel, but this was changed following public feedback.

-malaymail online.