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| Abdul Karim promotes the awards with (from right) Hii, Lee, Abdul Wahab and Audry. |
KUCHING: The federal government still owes Sarawak around RM2.7 million in tourism tax.
Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah disclosed this during a press conference for the Sarawak Tourism Awards 2017/2018 on Thursday.
“At the State Assembly sitting last November, I also mentioned that we had not received the payment of tourism tax revenue from the federal government.
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| Visit Sarawak Campaign |
“I do not know what is the reason behind it but we will continue to push for it,” he said.
Abdul Karim said the amount yet to be paid to Sarawak by the federal government through the Finance Ministry from Sept 1 to Dec 31, 2017 was RM439,731, while from Jan 1 to Sept 2018, the amount stood at RM2.32 million.
“Sabah has received the tourism tax revenue and I know this because I have just returned from Sabah and have met with Sabah’s Deputy Chief Minister and also Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Christina Liew Chin Jin,” he said.
Abdul Karim added that although the amount might be small, it would be very useful to further boost Sarawak’s tourism industry.
“Whether it is RM100,000 or other amounts, it is our right and the federal government must pay us.
“The people of Sarawak need to know about this and our Chief Minister (Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg) is very concerned about Sarawak, including my ministry, and he knows what is needed to be done,” he stressed.
Abdul Karim believed that federal Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi would take note of this matter for the benefit of Sarawak and the tourism industry.
“The payment of tourism tax revenue is under the Finance Ministry and you all know who the minister (Lim Guan Eng) is,” added Karim.
Among those present at the press conference were Assister Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin; Sarawak Tourism Board chairman and Kalaka assemblyman Datuk Abdul Wahab Aziz; Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports permanent secretary Hii Chang Kee; and Sarawak Tourism Federation president Audry Wan Ullok. -TheBorneoPost
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