.JPG "Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Mohammadin Ketapi speaks to reporters at Parliament October 17, 2019. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Miera Zulyana")
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 26 — Tourism Minister Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi told Parliament today that Johor officials did not inform him of a possible bed tax in the state.
He pointed out that the federal government already imposed a tourism tax and questioned how the state would implement its additional bed tax.
“Bed tax issue. Well, this was never brought to my ministry's level.
“I am a little astonished that apparently even now, beds too have taxes imposed on them.
“Tourism tax is rightfully inclusive of that bed tax, perhaps. Why is it that on top of the RM10 tourism tax, there is a bed tax? If people can't pay, then they have to sleep below the bridge, Yang Berhormat,” Ketapi said in the Dewan Rakyat today.
The federal government charges tourists RM10 per day of stay at hostels and hotels.
The minister said he would invite the Johor executive councillor in charge of tourism for a meeting to clarify the issue.
He was responding to an additional question from Jelebu MP Datuk Jalaluddin Alias, who asked for an explanation on the bed tax proposal announced in the Johor State Legislative Assembly yesterday.
National news agency Bernama yesterday reported that the Johor state government was studying the additional tax on hotel stays in the state.
It also reported state Tourism, Women, Family and Community Development Committee chairman Liow Cai Tung as saying there were no immediate plans for this.
