He said the bed tax, coupled with the tourism tax imposed in 2017, would make it more costly for tourists to book hotel rooms.

“Why is it that on top of the RM10 tourism tax, there is a bed tax?

“If people can’t pay, then they’ll have to sleep under a bridge,” he said in the Dewan Rakyat.

He also said the issue of bed tax was not raised with his ministry, and suggested that it be included in the tourism tax.

He also said he would invite the Johor executive councillor in charge of tourism for a meeting to clarify the issue.

He was responding to Jalaluddin Alias (BN-Jelebu) who questioned the bed tax proposal announced in the Johor state legislative assembly yesterday.

The Johor government said it would consider introducing the tax on tourists who stay at hotels in the state if there is a need for it.

However, Liow Cai Tung, the chairman of the tourism, women, family and community development committee said there was no plan to introduce the tax at the moment.