KUALA LUMPUR, July 26— The government’s decision to exempt Malaysians from paying the Tourism Tax is proof that Barisan Nasional (BN) cares about the people, Malaysian Tourism Promotion Board chairman Datuk Siew Ka Wei said.

“Look at it, the government does listen. The minister and the prime minister, obviously they listen to all the issues as to the feedback and the consultation between the tourism board and other parties. That’s how this decision was taken,” Siew told Malay Mail Online, referring to the announcement made by Tourism and Culture minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz this morning.

Nazri said that only foreign tourists will be charged a flat rate of RM10 per night and per room for all types of hotels and accommodation.

Siew said that this should encourage Malaysians to travel locally as the Tourism Tax would not be imposed on them.

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“This will help boost local tourism. Now there is no more Tourism Tax for Malaysians. So please Malaysians, come out and support. The government will listen, the minister will listen.

“So please come out, and go spend money in the tourist sites in Malaysia, and we will come up with more tourist sites,” he saod.

Siew said that the said tax is being imposed to only better promote Malaysia globally, as many other countries in the region have also stepped up efforts to advertise their respective nations.

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“They have been spending much more money than us to boost tourism. So we need to do this,” he added.

The Tourism Tax, passed in Parliament earlier this year, was set to be collected from this month but later postponed to August 1.

Initially the charges have been set at between RM20 and a lowly RM2.50 a night, depending on the hotel rating.

The new tax drew criticism, primarily from budget hotel operators out of fear that it would push tourists towards rental platform operator Airbnb.

In response, the government then announced an exemption for Malaysians who stay at hotels rated three-stars and below.

Nazri said today the Attorney-General Chambers and the Royal Customs Department are in the final stage of preparing the last technical details of the tax collection system.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is scheduled to make the announcement soon, the minister added.