Anwar said the matter had been raised previously, but must be examined comprehensively, given competing demands across various sectors.

“I have asked the finance minister II (Amir Hamzah Azizan) to look at it holistically (and) where support can be restored because costs in Langkawi have become quite high.

“This in itself is discouraging tourists, including domestic visitors,” he told reporters after Friday prayers at the Cyberjaya fire and rescue department’s surau here.

He was commenting on a call by Sultan Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah in his royal address at the opening of the Kedah legislative assembly on Monday.

Sultan Sallehuddin said several changes, including taxation on vehicles and tobacco-based products, have reduced Langkawi’s appeal as the country’s main tourism destination.

Under the 2026 budget, the federal government began imposing duties on cigarettes and other tobacco products brought into Langkawi, and restricted vehicle tax exemption on vehicles purchased on the island to those valued under RM300,000.