KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 23): Malaysia is considering placing hotels under federal regulation as their operations currently fall under the jurisdiction of state governments, the tourism minister said on Wednesday.

The ministry will engage with the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, state governments, and local authorities to discuss having hotel licensing and regulatory procedures in current legislation, Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing answered during ministerial question time in the Dewan Rakyat.

Guesthouses and lodging accommodations are currently under the jurisdiction of state governments as stipulated in List II — State List of the Ninth Schedule of the Federal Constitution, Tiong noted.

"This means the regulation of guesthouses and lodging accommodations lies with the state governments, which are supervised by their respective local authorities," he said.

Tiong was responding to a query from Datuk Syed Abu Hussin (PN-Bukit Gantang) who raised concerns about public dissatisfaction over inconsistent check-in and check-out times imposed by local hotels.

A viral social media post last month sparked news reports highlighting complaints about some hotels allowing check-ins only after 4pm while enforcing check-outs as early as 11am, effectively reducing the length of stay for guests.

Tiong added that his ministry will also engage with the Ministry of Human Resources and the Ministry of Home Affairs to address issues related to the recruitment of foreign workers in the hotel industry.

In a post on his Facebook account over the weekend, Tiong had urged hotel operators to ensure that guests have at least 23 hours stay.

The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) however has raised concerns over the proposal, calling it “operationally impractical” at a time when the industry is grappling with rising costs and manpower shortages.

The standard check-in time for hotels worldwide is typically between 2pm and 3pm, with check-out times set between 11am and noon, according to the association which represents more than 1,000 hotels in the country.

“These hours are essential to allow sufficient time for hotels to maintain high standards of cleanliness, safety, and room quality, especially with the increased focus on hygiene post-pandemic,” the MAH said.

Having hotels turn over their rooms within an hour, particularly during peak seasons or with high occupancy rates, “would severely compromise these standards”, it warned.

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