Matta launches GST manual for tourism players

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KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) yesterday launched its GST Navigator for Travel Industry Manual to provide guidelines on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) implementation for the industry.

The manual launched by Royal Customs Malaysia GST director Datuk T Subromaniam is Matta’s initiative in assisting its members on GST implementation which have been introduced since last April.

Matta president Hamzah Rahmat in his speech said GST had become a very crucial issue affecting the travel industry.

“What was needed was a very detailed and hands-on presentation, tailored specifically for the tourism industry, rather than just the overview that Customs provided.

“For that reason, it is Matta’s obligation to the members to make the GST-adoption process less challenging,” he said.

Subromaniam on the other hand commended Matta for its effort to come up with a guide to explain GST implementation to the tour and travel industry.

“This is the first initiative by the private sector to come up with a guideline. I hope others will follow. This is an example that the public and private sector can work together,” he said.

The manual among others clarified some 40 issues surrounding the tourism industry including ‘No GST’ status for designated locations namely in Tioman Island, Labuan and Langkawi Island where the six per cent tax would not be charged for packages sold for these destination, whether by tourist agents based in Langkawi or other places. — Bernama