KUALA LUMPUR – The government has exempted admission tickets for two international concerts here, namely British band Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres World Tour and Ed Sheeran’s “+-=÷x” (The Mathematics) Asia Tour, from entertainment duty.
This was stated in two separate federal gazettes published by the Attorney-General’s Chambers on February 23 under the Entertainments Duty (Exemption) Order 2024.
The gazettes, both signed by Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan on February 22, state that the minister made the order under paragraph 12(1)(b) of the Entertainment Duty Act 1953.
The law stipulates that the finance minister may, in respect of the Federal Territories, exempt any entertainment from the payment of an entertainment duty.
English band Coldplay performed its first concert in Malaysia at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium on November 22 last year while Sheeran will take to the stage later tonight at the same location.
With the gazette just coming into force two days ago, it is unclear how this will impact concertgoers who had already purchased tickets for Coldplay’s and Sheeran’s performances.
Scoop has reached out to event organiser PR Worldwide Sdn Bhd, the company involved in bringing both tours to KL, for clarification on how the exemption will affect concertgoers who were charged entertainment duty for their tickets.
Coldplay’s performance saw the 85,000-seating capacity stadium packed to the brim while Sheeran’s third show in Malaysia is estimated to be attended by 50,000 fans.
When tabling Budget 2024 in October last year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the government would reduce the entertainment tax from 25% to 10% for international performances.
The tax was also set to be completely exempted for local performers. – February 24, 2024