Malaysia: Government Tells Parliament on October 26 It Plans Unified Guidelines to Regulate Short-Term Rental Accommodation Nationwide
The Malaysian government said during a question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat on October 26 that it proposes to formulate guidelines stipulating that only premises that have completed registration and meet local government licensing conditions will be allowed to legally operate short-term rental accommodation businesses nationwide. Deputy Minister of Housing and Local Government Aiman Athirah said the ministry, through PLANMalaysia, is working with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, state governments and local governments to formulate short-term accommodation planning guidelines as a unified national regulatory basis. Under this framework, strata properties must comply with the rules and by-laws set by their respective joint management bodies or management corporations under the Strata Management Act 2013. To ensure comprehensive compliance, the government also encourages strategic cooperation with digital platform companies to verify licence status through automated mechanisms before accommodation premises are listed. Aiman Athirah pointed out that digital platform operators must take responsibility for removing any accommodation premises that have no licence, violate local government conditions or existing laws, while enforcement agencies have the statutory authority to take stern action against operators who repeatedly ignore warnings. Local governments and enforcement agencies may take legal action against violators under the Town and Country Planning Act 1976, the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974, and local government by-laws, and ensure that illegal accommodation advertisements on service platforms are blocked. On the progress of the guidelines, she said the documents are currently in the final stage of review with the Ministry of Tourism, after which they will be submitted to the Cabinet for deliberation and presented to the National Council for Local Government for a common agreement, and then adopted and implemented by state governments and local governments nationwide. She also praised the Penang state government for taking the lead in regulating the short-term accommodation industry through local by-laws. As for the proposal to cap short-term rental operations at a maximum of 180 days per year, she said the government had conducted a regulatory impact assessment while formulating the preliminary regulatory framework, and that any day limit must balance the income opportunities of accommodation premises, tourism demand, and public safety, social order and residents' well-being.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 吉隆坡市景（资料图），取自 Wikimedia Commons。Photo: Kuala Lumpur cityscape (file photo), via Wikimedia Commons.
