Malaysia nears South-East Asia’s first nationwide Airbnb control

KUALA LUMPUR, June 20 (Bloomberg): Malaysia is inching closer to becoming the first country in South-East Asia to impose widespread curbs on short-stay rentals like Airbnb Inc., after one of its most popular holiday hotspots restricted such accommodation due to unruly tourists.

The nation had been looking into regulating short-term rentals for several years due to complaints about rowdy tourists behaving badly in residential areas, but the discussion gained renewed impetus in recent weeks after the island of Penang slapped a partial ban on Airbnb and similar services. The rules, which will still allow serviced apartments, are due to come into force on March 1, 2024.