Malaysia: bill to grant tax free status to Pangkor tabled in parliament

[Alan Mighty]

On Wednesday 3 April, the government in Malaysia tabled bills intended to grant tax-free status to Pangkor.

One of those bills, an amendment to the Customs Act, defines "Pangkor" as including Pangkor Island and Mentagor Island, plus 4 other named islands and two named rocks.

That's significant because of the two marinas in the area:

1. Pangkor Marina, an operating marina with a couple hundred wet berths, a 45 tonne SeaLift, and a boat-yard, all on reclaimed land linked to the mainland by a causeway; and

2. an unnamed marina that has (as far as I know) never been operated or even formally used since it was built on Mentagor Island 10 years ago.

If the tax-free status is granted (and were someone to operate and maintain the marina on Mentagor) that would create marinas free of import duties, rivalling the marinas on Langkawi.

In my judgment, Pangkor should prove more interesting for foreign cruisers than Langkawi. Langkawi of course does have the advantages of being v close to Thailand and to Penang. Pangkor is between Kuala Lumpur and Penang, is close to the Dinding River (deep and navigable) and the Malaysian navy base at Lumut, and not far from Ipoh, the state capital of Perak and quite a focus for those keen on good food.

For the news on the bills intended to grant tax-free status, see this news story: https://themalaysianreserve.com/2019...y-free-tabled/

On the never-operated marina on Mentagor, see: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nati...ended-in-2009/

For information on the Pangkor Marina, sited on the reclaimed Marina Island alongside a tourist resort, see: https://www.the-aba.com/clubs-and-ma...andmarin&id=10

[Alan Mighty]

Originally Posted by Alan Mighty

On Wednesday 3 April, the government in Malaysia tabled bills intended to grant tax-free status to Pangkor.

One of those bills, an amendment to the Customs Act, defines "Pangkor" as including Pangkor Island and Mentagor Island, plus 4 other named islands and two named rocks.

Those amendments to the Customs Act and other Acts passed Malaysian Federal Parliament on 8 April.

So next step is the amendments being gazetted and coming into force.

The only reliable media report I've seen to date concentrates on the bill imposing a tax on services supplied to those inside the Malaysian jurisdiction digitally. It passed into law and will come into effect on 1 January 2020, to coincide with the Feast of the Holy Circumcision (only appropriate!).

I'm hoping for clarity, but am for now working on the guess that the marinas in Pangkor will get tax-free status (to match that of the marinas in Langkawi) on 1 January 2020.

See the penultimate sentence in: https://www.malaymail.com/news/malay...-jan-1/1741049