The tourism and culture minister also cautioned his Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) partners against voicing their concerns through the media.

“They don’t understand (the distribution method), that’s okay. But they should come and see me first. Every state will get a share (of the revenue).

“This matter has been decided in the cabinet, and if there’s anything they want to know about, come see me, don’t speak to the media,” Nazri said to reporters when met here today.

He was responding to Sarawak Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, who was quoted last week as criticising the new fund distribution arrangement for the tourism tax collected.

This came after Nazri announced last month that only 10% of the tax collected would be returned to the respective states’ tourism agencies when just before that, he had said Sabah and Sarawak would be the biggest beneficiaries of the tourism tax.

“Sarawak is also part of the BN government, they should come see me for an explanation,” Nazri said when asked on this.

However, he did not explain why Sarawak’s share in the projected tourism tax revenue had been reduced.

In the Dewan Rakyat last month, Nazri said the government had decided not to impose the tourism tax on Malaysians, although foreigners will still have to pay a flat fee of RM10 per room per night, regardless of the hotels’ star rating.

He had said that the government expected to collect about RM210 million in tourism tax revenue annually.