Cigarettes In, Alcohol Out (For Now): Pangkor Island's Duty-Free List

According to a report in The Star, Perak state government has come to an agreement with stakeholders to include cigarettes in the list of items that will be duty-free.

Speaking to media in Ipoh yesterday, 19 December, Perak Tourism Committee chairman Tan Kar Hing said that preparations to turn Pulau Pangkor into a duty-free island are 95% completed with upgrading facilities such as jetties, landscapes, and lightings around the island.

"All preparations are proceeding according to schedule and I am confident on 1 January 2020, visitors will be able to buy duty-free goods," he was quoted as saying by theSundaily.

Tan added that along with cigarettes in the list chocolates have also been included.

The Perak Tourism Committee chairman stressed that it was the stand of the state government that alcohol was not listed as a tax-free good on Pulau Pangkor currently.

According to him, the state would consider the idea about including alcohol in the list if there are reasonable requests that could benefit the locals and industry players on the island, reported The Star.

"The state will study it if there are requests – maybe at some specific locations. If there is no demand, alcohol will not be included," he was quoted as saying by the English daily.

"For now, it is not allowed to be included in the list."

"We are also not rejecting the possibility in the future that we will include it (alcoholic drinks) as one of the (duty-free) items," Tan told reporters yesterday, as reported by The Star.