We Malaysians love our music concerts and festivals but more often than not, our country tends to be left out of the list when it comes to hosting big concerts. Whether it’s Taylor Swift or Beyoncé, Malaysia always seems to be left out of the loop for international big artists.
Most of us would assume that it’s because of our rules and regulations, but Syed Saddiq explained in an interview with The Takeaway Table that it’s actually because of our entertainment tax.
“When I was Minister of Youth and Sports, one of the first things I did [was table] a cabinet paper to waive entertainment tax when events are hosted in Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil, and Sepang International Circuit. Why? Besides the bureaucracy, we have a 25% entertainment tax” he explained.
Given the high tax, it’s understandable why a lot of international acts choose to avoid Malaysia altogether, but apparently, the entertainment tax also applies to the local film industry which explains why movie tickets are so expensive.
Saddiq talked about Singapore’s approach towards getting artists, such as Taylor Swift, and how inter-ministries “came together, pulled a fund, went abroad, and signed all-exclusive deals to come to Singapore and perform [for] five or six days.”
He also pointed out that for Malaysia to attract more international acts to visit, the government needs to “start thinking as an entrepreneur and stop being so afraid and close-minded”.
Music concert and festival cancellations are terrible but there are ways that you can get your refunds when it happens.
