Reconsider plans to reclassify children’s playlands, Selangor govt urged

 Association says putting playlands under the entertainment licensing category will increase their annual licence fees by 13 times.

Children’s playlands are important community spaces that provide families with a safe environment for recreation, exercise, and family bonding, said the Malaysian Association of Theme Parks and Family Attractions. (Envato Elements pic)

PETALING JAYA:

The Malaysian Association of Theme Parks and Family Attractions (Matfa) has called for a review of the proposal by the Selangor government to reclassify children’s playlands, which would place them under the entertainment licensing category.

Its president, Richard Koh, said such a move would increase annual licence fees 13-fold to RM6,390 from the current RM500, Bernama reported.

Koh said the surge in fees would place financial pressure on operators catering to families, particularly those from the B40 and M40 income groups.

“We appeal to the state government to reconsider plans to reclassify children’s playlands,” he was quoted as saying.

He said children’s playlands are important community spaces that provide families with a safe environment for play, exercise, and family bonding.

Such facilities should, therefore, remain under the recreational licensing category, with fee exemptions considered for facilities serving lower-income communities.

The association also renewed its call for the federal government to abolish the Entertainment Duty Act 1953, describing it as an outdated law that places an additional burden on families seeking affordable leisure activities.

“The law imposes a tax of up to 25% on every theme park, water park, and family attraction ticket. This tax is not paid by the operators, it is borne by the people,” Koh said, adding that it is wrong to tax families in such challenging times.

He also pointed out that Thailand, Singapore and Hong Kong do not impose such taxes, and Malaysian families are now travelling to Hatyai “because it is more affordable”.

Koh said the government should also introduce tax incentives for operators that provide recreational activities for B40 and M40 families, as such facilities offer important public spaces for relaxation and social interaction. - FMT