KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 ― Sabah is among the states which have received highest revenue from tourism tax, said Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.
She said the state had received RM12 million in tourism tax revenue in 2018 and also in 2019.
“When the tourism tax revenue is distributed to the state governments, we expect them to use the money to build tourism-related infrastructure in their respective states.
“Indeed, Sabah’s tourism sector is bigger than that of other states,” she said in response to Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (BN-Arau) and Datuk Mohamad Alamin’s (BN-Kimanis) question on Sabah tourism industry when winding up the debate on the motion of thanks for the Royal Address for her ministry at the Dewan Rakyat sitting today.
Meanwhile, Nancy said other allocations were still being provided to help the states even though the tourism tax is currently being fully exempted following Covid-19.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin when unveiling the National Economic Recovery Plan (Penjana) on June 5 also announced the exemption of tourism tax from July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021, as part of the efforts to reactivate the national tourism industry which had been paralysed by the pandemic. ― Bernama
