AirBnb is a short-term rental service that is often used for short and cheap vacations. Last year, Penang banned short-term rentals in all private properties in the country, and a recent report from Bloomberg says that the Malaysian government may extend the ban to the rest of the country.
The biggest issue that seems to be plaguing the people, especially in Penang, seems to be that these short-term tenants are seen to be disturbing the peace of the surrounding residents, whether at home or in the apartment, which has caused the state government to take this decision.
Mich Goh, AirBnb's head of public policy for Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong and Taiwan said that Malaysia is one of the countries that is discussing limiting the scope of AirBNB rentals, and is the closest country to start implementing this quite drastic policy.
The Penang Government has determined that all private properties, except six types of commercial properties such as serviced apartments are not allowed to be used as AirBnb accommodation locations and also any similar services. The policy that will be presented by the central government is not yet known, but it is expected to be more or less the same as that set by the state government.
Interestingly, AirBnb is also seen as one of the income contributors in terms of tourism, where it has been reported that Malaysia is one of the most visited cities in Southeast Asia last year, according to the company's report.