MyBHA offers suggestions that could help ailing hospitality industry

 

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysia Budget and Business Hotel Association (MyBHA) is demanding for assistance to be given to the hospitality and travel industries for the sake of their survival.

MyBHA deputy president Dr Sri Ganesh Michiel said the onus is on the federal and state governments, including government agencies and the private sector to cooperate to prevent further business closures and major lay offs amidst the pandemic.

"The inter-district and interstate travel bans have affected hotel operators as they would have fewer customers to serve, which would directly cause a decrease in revenue and this contributes to the reduction of workers, layoffs and finally, hotel closures.

"Many factors can be considered to lighten the burden shouldered by industry players.

"However, it seems that the authorities have failed to implement them," said Michiel in a statement today.

The association has put forth a list of requests for the government for the continuity of the hospitality and travel sectors.

The list includes a revision of the Wage Subsidy Programme and suggestions to help with electricity tariff, which can help hospitality industry players.

"We are asking them to revise the latter (electricity tariff) and suggest for it to be changed from a commercial tariff to industrial tariff rate for (hospitality) industry players.

"We want the government to implement 10 to 50 per cent discount for electricity bills till December 2021 for our industry players."

Other suggestions were for authorities to grant hospitality-related employers and employees a 12-month special exemption from contributing to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF); as well as tax exemptions for tourism industry premises for 2020 and 2021.

Michiel said MyBHA proposed for an automatic special moratorium for industry players until December 2021; and to introduce a Special Tax Incentive for the entire duration between 2020 to 2022.

He said another suggestion was for hospitality and travel industry players to be prioritised for vaccination.

He said similar to frontliners, workers in hospitality industry also deal a lot with members of the public, and this exposes them to the risk of Covid-19.

"We also demand water supply companies in the respective states to give a special discount of 50 per cent until December this year to hospitality sector, and to ensure no water cuts are made to any hotels during Movement Control Order.

"We urgently appeal for the Penjana Tourism Financing and its effectiveness to be reviewed immediately as we have been receiving negative feedback from our members."

Michiel urged for the setting up of a special division under the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry, together with Finance Ministry to process all loan applications submitted by its industry players at this crucial period.

He said MyBHA hoped their demands could be met, and for their members' pleas, grievances and complaints to be taken seriously.

He urged the government to ensure immediate action is taken for the sector's sustainability during this pandemic.

-nst online.