By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Dec 18: The Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (Motac) will engage in discussions on the feasibility of incorporating provisions related to the issuance of licenses and regulation of hotel operations under the Tourism Industry Act 1992 (Act 482).
In a news report by TVS, Deputy Minister Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan said the discussiosn will involve the Ministry, the State government, the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT), and local authorities (PBTs).
“The Act mandates the registration of tourism accommodation premises, including hotels, but the regulation and enforcement of hotel operations fall outside of Motac’s jurisdiction.
“The Ministry (Motac) will also collaborate with the Ministry of Human Resources and the Ministry of Home Affairs to address issues related to the employment of foreign workers in the hotel sector,” he explained
He emphasised that this effort aims to maintain high standards and quality of services in tourist accommodation, particularly in support of the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign.
Khairul was responding to a question from Senator Datuk Ahmad Ibrahim about the government’s plans to impose stricter guidelines on hotel operators regarding check-in and check-out policies, which have raised concerns among consumers, during today’s Dewan Negara session.
Khairul clarified that matters concerning guesthouses and lodging houses fall under the jurisdiction of state governments, as specified in List II of the State List in the Ninth Schedule of the Federal Constitution.
This means that the regulation of guesthouses and lodging houses is managed by state governments, with oversight by the respective local authorities. —DayakDaily
