This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on July 12, 2019

KUALA LUMPUR: Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Mohammadin Ketapi said he fully agrees with a proposal by some quarters to postpone the implementation of the departure levy until next year’s Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) campaign is over.

However, the implementation of the levy is not for his ministry to decide, he said in response to a question by Datuk Jalaluddin Alias (BN-Jelebu).

“That is a question that must be directed to the finance minister (Lim Guan Eng),” said Mohammadin, adding that he would do his part to convince Guan Eng to postpone the implementation of the levy.

Jalaluddin had earlier asked Mohammadin about the government’s level of preparedness for Visit Malaysia 2020, which is expected to result in RM100 billion in tourism receipts coming into the country.

Jalaluddin added that the departure levy, which is scheduled to come into force in September, would harm foreign tourist arrivals.

Upon implementation, travellers departing from Malaysian airports would have to pay RM20 when travelling to Asean destinations and RM40 to non-Asean destinations.