Sarawak terima agihan cukai pelancongan: Abdul Karim

April 04, 2019

BINCANG: Abdul Karim (dua kanan) mempengerusikan Mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Pemandu Pelancongan Negeri Sarawak, semalam. 

KUCHING: Agihan 50 peratus cukai pelancongan bagi tahun 2017 hingga Disember 2018 berjumlah RM2.58 juta telah diberikan kepada Sarawak.

Menteri Pelancongan, Kesenian, Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah berkata kerajaan persekutuan menerusi Kementerian Kewangan telah menunaikan janji untuk mengagihkan cukai pelancongan negeri-negeri termasuk Sarawak pada suku pertama tahun ini.

“Kita baharu sahaja menerima (agihan 50 peratus) cukai pelancongan bagi tahun 2017 hingga penghujung 2018. Walaupun jumlahnya tidak begitu besar, saya sangat gembira kerana kerajaan persekutuan telah menunaikan janjinya,” katanya.

Agihan cukai pelancongan, Sarawak terima RM2.58 juta

April 03, 2019

Abdul Karim ketika mempengerusikan Mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Pemandu Pelancongan Negeri Sarawak di sini, hari ini.

KUCHING: Sarawak sudah menerima agihan 50 peratus cukai pelancongan bagi tahun 2017 hingga Disember 2018 berjumlah RM2.58 juta.

Menteri Pelancongan, Kesenian, Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah berkata Kerajaan Persekutuan menerusi Kementerian Kewangan telah menunaikan janji untuk mengagihkan cukai pelancongan pada suku pertama tahun ini.

"Kita baharu sahaja menerima (agihan 50 peratus) cukai pelancongan bagi tahun 2017 hingga penghujung 2018.

Abd Karim to LGE: Address tourism tax issue ‘professionally’

January 6, 2019

KUCHING, Jan 6: Sarawak Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah today told Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng to be a gentleman and to address the Sarawak’s tourism tax issue professionally.

“Be a gentleman and address the issue professionally,” said Abdul Karim in a statement today.

“There is no intention to defame, politicise or ‘fitnah’ (slander) anybody here, but as the minister looking after Sarawak tourism, I am just asking (for) what was promised and due, be it from the previous government or the present government of the day.”

Abdul Karim to Putrajaya: Where’s our share of the tourism tax, please?

November 12, 2018

KUCHING, Nov 12: The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture has been urged to disbursed the tourism tax amounting to RM439,731 to Sarawak.

In making the call, state Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the amount represented Sarawak’s share of tourism tax collected between Sept to Dec last year.

“In the last State Assembly sitting in July this year, I reported that the federal government has informed my office about the disbursement of Sarawak’s share of tourism tax collected.

Abdul Karim: S’wak govt yet to receive state’s share of tourism tax from federal govt

November 12, 2018

KUCHING: The Sarawak government has yet to receive the state’s share of tourism tax collected since September 2017 from the federal government.

Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said though the federal government had informed his ministry on the disbursement of Sarawak’s share of tourism tax collected between September 2017 to December 2017 earlier this year, the amount collected has yet to be channeled to the state government.

“We wish to applaud the continuation of the tourism tax in the National Budget 2019 which maintains that 50 per cent of the total tourism tax collected by the federal government be given to the state government.

Tourism tax no burden to Malaysians, must be maintained – Abdul Karim

August 8, 2018

SIBU: Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah says the tourism tax introduced last September should be maintained as it is not burdening Malaysians.

He said this yesterday in response to Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik’s statement that his ministry had no intention of cancelling the tourism tax imposed on foreign tourists since Sept 1 last year.

Bakhtiar said based on their assessments, tourism tax, which was also implemented by other countries such as the United States, the Netherlands, Italy, Singapore and Indonesia, had proven to have a positive impact on the tourism sector in the long run.

‘Check if tourism tax has any effect on tourist arrival’

July 5, 2018

KUCHING: The Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture should conduct a thorough study on the tourism tax to see if it does have any affect on Malaysia’s tourism industry.

Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said if indeed the tourism tax did have affect on the tourism industry in the country, it should be reviewed.

“It’s better to conduct a thorough study on whether the tourism tax on foreigners is affecting the industry or otherwise. If it does, then it’s good for it to be reviewed. But if it’s not, then it’s better not to review it as it’s good income for the government coffer and for upgrading tourism facilities,” he said when contacted yesterday.

Tourism tax should be maintained, says Abd Karim

May 24, 2018

SIBU: The tourism tax introduced last September should be left as it is since it does not burden the Malaysian public, says Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

“Tourists and foreigners are merely required to pay a minimal sum.

“Why must Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) now call for its abolition? It is just a small amount to pay by tourists and foreigners – RM10 per room per night which is a small amount if we take the exchange rate of US$, £ (Sterling Pound) or (Euro).

“Unless Matta can show us that tourist arrivals are very much affected by this restructured tourism tax, I believe we should just leave the tax as it is.”

‘Govt in process of getting all lodging houses registered’

September 11, 2017

KUCHING: The government is in the process of getting all lodging houses registered following the implementation of the Tourism Tax effective Sept 1.

Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said “a lot of them (lodging houses) now are not registered” but they are taxable under the new law.

“Any lodging houses that are registered are taxable; budget hotels included. I was made to understand that it’s across (the board).

“But a lot of them now are not registered, so that is why there is not much problem now. But then I do know that the exercise to get them registered is going on,” he said when met by journalists after launching the Paint The World (PTW) concert 2017 at the Civic Centre here yesterday.

Karim blasts Nazri over tourism tax

August 16, 2017

KUCHING: Tourism and Culture Datuk Nazri Aziz should look at Sarawak and Sabah from a different perspective and not to equate them with states in Malaya, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said today.

He made the comment when reacting to Nazri’s call for Sarawak and Sabah to come and see him on the tourism tax distribution.

Sarawak and Sabah governments have expressed their unhappiness with Nazri for saying that the two states would receive RM1 for every RM10 collected from tourism tax.

Why only one ringgit?

July 31, 2017

KUCHING: The federal Tourism and Culture Ministry must explain to Sarawak and Sabah why their share of the tourism tax collected from foreigners visiting Malaysia has been reduced to RM1 for every RM10 collected when originally the total collection was to be divided equally among Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak and Sabah.

Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said he was taken aback by this sudden reduction.

“This (equal distribution among the three regions)was proposed by the federal Tourism and Culture Minister (Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz) himself and later by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Abdul Karim: Tourism tax exemption for Malaysians is good news

July 27, 2017

KUCHING: Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah has welcomed the federal government’s move to exempt Malaysians from the tourism tax.

“Any news where Malaysians do not have to pay additional taxes is always good news to all.

“I am glad that the Malaysian public is exempted from this tourism tax and hopefully the Finance Minister (Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) will confirm this good news,” he said.

Sabah, Sarawak to jointly seek deferring Tourism Tax

Sunday, 9 July 2017

KUCHING: Both Sarawak and Sabah will jointly make a request to defer the implementation date of the Tourism Tax directly to the federal Minister of Finance, said Sarawak Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Hamzah.

Abdul Karim said both states had agreed on the resolutions and a memorandum of understanding would be forwarded to the federal minister for consideration.

“We wanted the date to be deferred to March 31 next year and I am very sure the implementation will be deferred,” Karim told reporters after he officiated the launch of the Rainforest Fringe here.

Karim further said the issue had more or less come to a good ending despite the spat between him and Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz early last month.

On another matter, Karim said the state government would spend about RM2mil to organise this year's World Rainforests Music Festival (WRFMF), adding the organiser had also received sponsorships from the private sector.

Sarawak confident Tourism Tax to be deferred next year

July 9, 2017

KUCHING: The Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports is confident the implementation of Tourism Tax will be deferred to next year.

Its minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said Sabah and Sarawak have come up with a Memorandum of Understanding for the federal government to consider.

“We are confident that the tax will be deferred to March 31 next year and it (the Memorandum of Understanding) will receive consideration from the federal government particularly the Finance Ministry.

Best to wait till next year

July 6, 2017

Brooke (centre) presents Abdul Karim (second right) with a memento during the 137th anniversary remembrance and Lan Ngabang Raya joint celebration at Fort Margherita.

Abdul Karim says not time to implement tourism tax yet, several issues yet to be ironed out

KUCHING: The best time to implement tourism tax in Sarawak is early next year, says Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

Following a discussion with their Sabah counterparts, Abdul Karim said July 1 was not practical as there are still a number of questions to be answered such as how the taxes would be distributed to East Malaysia, and how the mechanism would work.

“We have to give due consideration to forward booking. We have come up with all these good packages, hoping for tourists to come. 

"They have bought the promotion that we offered via Matta fair and so on. 

"And now, we want to tax them? That’s not good,” he said.

My statement is similar as Masidi's - Karim

July 5, 2017

KUCHING: The meeting between tourism ministries of Sarawak and Sabah has seen both sides agreeing that if the Tourism Act 2017 were to be enforced, it should serve as a catalyst of growth for the industry.

In a statement issued yesterday, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment of Sabah Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun said the meeting also agreed on the contents of a draft memorandum to be presented to the federal government.

When contacted, state Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said he agreed with what Masidi had said in the statement.

“Treat my statement as similar as his (Masidi’s),” Abdul Karim told The Borneo Post.

The statement further pointed out that the interest of the tourism industry of both Sarawak and Sabah was the overriding consideration in the preparation of the memorandum on the Tourism Tax Act 2017.

“The industry’s growth and sustainability are crucial to the future economic wellbeing of the two Borneo states,” added the statement.

Only Najib, not Nazri, can defer tourism tax implementation - Karim

June 28, 2017

KUCHING: Only Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, has the right to defer the date for the implementation of the tourism tax, said Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

Therefore, Abdul Karim said, it is not for federal Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz to announce the deferral date for implementation of the tourism tax.

“The right to defer the date (for the implementation of tourism tax) is on the Prime Minister in his capacity as the Minister of Finance and not the Minister of Tourism and Culture who earlier claimed that the enforcement of the tourism tax is on July 1 and now suddenly deferring it to Aug 1.

“We must remember that it was not the Ministry of Finance or the Prime Minister who came up with the date July 1.

“Under the Tourism Tax Act, the minister referred to is the Minister of Finance and he has the power to exempt or defer (the implementation of tourism tax). The Minister of Finance is our Prime Minister,” he told The Borneo Post yesterday.

Minimal impact on tourist arrivals, Abdul Karim says of tourism tax

June 28, 2017

SIBU: The implementation of tourism tax will have minimal impact on the number of tourists coming to Sarawak, says Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

He was asked if the state would still be able to achieve the target of receiving five million tourists this year with the implementation of the new tax.

“Most of the tourists are domestic tourists as well as tourists from the neighbouring countries and majority of them do not stay in four or five star hotels. 

"Though it does affect their budget slightly, I believe it will not deter them from coming,” Abdul Karim told The Borneo Post yesterday.

The Asajaya assemblyman said what Sarawak needs to do is to upgrade and introduce more tourism packages and places of interest as well as more promotions.

‘Cancellation of trips by Chinese tourists alarming’

June 27, 2017

KUCHING: Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah described the cancellation of trips by 3,000 Chinese tourists to Malaysia and choosing Thailand as their preferred destination as alarming.

“This is what Malaysian Association of Hotels has informed me too and the reason why I wanted to have the enforcement date deferred and not to rush through the tourism tax. 

I will hold on temporarily,” he said when reacting to a front page article quoting Malaysian Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (Maceos) acting vice-president Gracie Geikie as saying that these tourists had cancelled their plans because they had to pay tourism tax of about RM100,000.

Common stand on tourism tax

June 24, 2017

Abdul Karim says state welcomes Sabah’s invitation to deliberate on some pertinent issues of the Tourism Act

KUCHING: Sarawak and Sabah have been discussing a joint approach to the tourism tax.

Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah confirmed tourism officers from Sabah and Sarawak met here last week with the Attorney-General of both states.

“We will look at this from a common stand. 

I agree with (Sabah Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Panglima) Masidi (Manjun) that the Act should be refined. We will approach it together,” he said after a special meeting with the Kuching North City Commission yesterday.

Abdul Karim said he welcomes Masidi’s invitation for a joint Sabah-Sarawak tourism tax memorandum.