LUMUT, Oct 27 — The Perak government is to itemise the goods in Pulau Pangkor that can be given tax exemption following the federal government decision to declare the island duty-free, said Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.
He said the list of items would be referred to the Finance Ministry.
Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, when tabling Budget 2018 in Parliament today, announced that Pulau Pangkor would be declared a duty-free island but the status would exclude products such as alcoholic beverages, tobacco and motor vehicles.
Hailing the announcement as historic and awaited by the people of Perak, Zambry said Pulau Pangkor would be in a unique context as the tax exemption excluded alcoholic beverages, tobacco and motor vehicles.
“The duty-free context does not have to be only on two or three items. There are other items such as accessories, clothing, chocolates and crockery,” he told reporters here.
Zambry said the announcement proved that the Barisan Nasional government fulfilled the BN manifesto of the 13th general election.
He also said that the duty-free status would stimulate the economic growth of the country, besides boosting tourist arrivals to Perak.
In IPOH, Perak Tourism, Arts, Culture, Multimedia and Communications Committee chairman Datuk Nolee Ashilin Mohammed Radzi said there was now the need to improve the infrastructure and services, particularly accommodation, on the island.
She said there was a shortage of accommodation of four star and above on the island.
“We hope to address the problem by upgrading our existing services in tandem with the declaration of the duty-free island status,” she told reporters after launching the ‘Wet Expo 2017 World Eco Tourism Expo’. — Bernama
