Which begs the question: will the departure levy be imposed on vehicular border crossings?
SIBU: Will the departure levy be imposed on people travelling in vehicles from Miri to Lawas as they will have to pass through Brunei first?
Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Hamzah wants the federal government to provide a clear answer to this question.
Speaking at the opening of Sibu Matta Fair here yesterday, Karim said, “I am still trying to find out what will happen if you are travelling from Miri to Limbang and Lawas because the departure levy applies not just to aeroplane passengers but also to those travelling by car,” he said.
Karim said he feared that if the levy also applied to land transport, it would pose a great burden to people travelling from Miri to Lawas.
He said the departure levy should not be implemented as the people were already burdened with other taxes.
“I am very unhappy with all these taxes. It (departure levy) is far away from what they (PH) had promised before the last general election.
“They promised to abolish the Goods and Services Tax (GST) which they did but they re-introduced the Sales and Service Tax (SST) and later, the Sugar Tax. The Sugar Tax results in the increase in the cost of living.
Anything which pinches the public is not welcome,” he said.
Malaysians have to pay the departure levy ranging from RM8 to RM150 when travelling out of the country starting Sept 1.
According to the Departure Levy (Rate of Departure Levy) Order 2019, anyone leaving Malaysia for Asean countries will be charged RM8 for flights in economy class and RM50 for other classes.
For flights to countries outside Asean, Malaysians travelling in economy class will be charged RM20 while those in other classes will have to fork out RM150.
Asean countries are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Under the Departure Levy (Exemption) Order 2019, it is pointed out that infants and toddlers aged below 24 months, pedestrians and individuals riding by themselves in any type
of vehicle for personal use, including any passenger in or pillion rider on such a vehicle, will be exempted from the levy.
Exemptions include any crew on duty on board the aircraft and passengers in transit arriving at any international airport in Malaysia heading towards their next destination not exceeding 12 hours.
The order also exempts commercial vehicle operators carrying workers to an oil rig or platform, government vehicles carrying passengers from Malaysia, and water or land vehicles.
