heliaviator

Is anyone living in a serviced apartment and being required to pay tourist tax from 1 September? RM10 may not be a huge imposition on a few nights in a hotel per year, but is a significant cost if you have to pay it on your home 365 days per year!

Hovite

It would seem a little odd to give you tax incentives to participate in the MM2H programme and then hit you with a tourist tax. There seems to be no guidance on the internet. I have a LTSVP and we own our own home. Surely I cannot have to pay this for living in my own home? There must be info somewhere on this. When visiting attractions the non Malaysian rate can be many times more than the local admission fee. I have no problem with paying the extra for admission but to pay for living in my own home ... Maybe I need to put a dropbox by the front door and put RM10 in it each morning

RedApe

If you are not on a "Tourist Visa" or visitor stamp then you are not a "tourist". So your accommodation should not tax you on this. There's generally been discussion that locals should not be taxed even when they use a hotel in another part of the country....this fact might also be useful if you are on the road and show your passport/long-term visa.

It works the opposite for the GST waiver. Only tourists are eligible for that waiver...not residents, those on MM2H visas, students on visa, long-term work permits, or diplomats leaving for short periods...except when they are permanently departing the country (so some items purchased in the last month with receipts may be exempt from GST).

Epicurious

What is the definition of a "serviced apartment"? Any condo, or a condo that provides guards and cleaners for common areas (don't they all?), or a condo that in addition includes cleaning and laundry services for individual units?

stepen

It is called tax on hotel stays. I don't think serviced apartments would come under this definition.

Here it says it will not be apply on homestays and hotels with fewer than 4 rooms:

Tourism tax to be enforced from Sept 1 | Free Malaysia Today

Hovite

Oh dear ... I'm confused.. you see our house has more than 4 rooms, and it is serviced ... my my wife .. and the maid. Maybe I need to do more of the cleaning. She always complains I don't clean. Maybe I'll just put the drop box by the front door. If we don't have to pay, the wife can buy a new dress.

Epicurious

Thanks for the clarification

RedApe

LOL! Do you charge wife "rent"? And does she leave you regularly?

RedApe

https://www.imoney.my/articles/malay...ed-tourism-tax

This still raises an issue. The target is supposed to be "foreign tourists" and not local "tourists" or those traveling for social or trade reasons.

So are those on MM2H Visas considered "local"? What about those with mixed "Malaysian-foreign" marriages (other social visas)? It might be an addition perk to the MM2H program if those with MM2H visas did not have to pay this tax when they are traveling around the country.

Gunnar45

To apply this in real life, I would suggest that holders of MM2H visa who stay in hotels in MY make it clear to the hotel staff that they should not be charged any tourist tax as they are Malaysian residents.

stepen

Seems very rushed to start this now, also previous reports says it was supposed to start july 1st, then aug 1st. They seems to have changed the rates in july to the fixed RM10. They must really be in need of money in order to start this in the middle of the year with lots of details yet to be clear.

doggmeister

Yup 1mdb

SushiFan

That didn't work for me this week when I stayed in a hotel in Melaka. I had to pay the tourist tax (RM10 per room per night) anyway.

Gunnar45

I wonder if it was a mistake from the side of the hotel or if MM2H visa holders indeed are liable for this tax.
But I just noticed that exemptions are only for MyKad or MyPR card holders.
Anyway, I would continue trying....

eCdD

As long as the topic "MM2H 2017 reintroduction of ID cards" not becomes reality, my mood to travel in MY is very low. Actually zero, we go up to Thailand this year. Crazy foreigner entrance fees and now even this tourist tax at "home".

Does anyone have a contact option for Mr Au Yeong How, Assistant Director of MM2H in Putrajaya? News about the MM2H MyKad would be fine, without a MyKad you feel like a tourist anyway.