The government is drawing up guidelines on the service charge of various sectors especially hotels and restaurants as a regulating measure to allay the anxiety of consumers.

Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan said the guidelines would be reviewed by the Finance Ministry, Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry (KPDNKK) as well as several other related agencies before being finalised.

"Among the proposals, are to set service charge lower than 10 per cent as practised now and customers can choose not to pay service charge if they are not happy with the services rendered," he said.

Ahmad was speaking to reporters after inspecting the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) at a fast food restaurant branch in Simpang Renggam here, on Sunday.

He said the Finance Ministry would be holding discussions with the industry especially hotels and restaurants to find a suitable method in handling the service charge issue.

"Even though service charge is a priority for the government following the implementation of GST, the effort now will focus on stabilising the implementation of GST," he said.

KPDNKK secretary-general Datuk Seri Alias Ahmad, was earlier reported as saying the service charge imposed by various sectors on consumers currently was being considered for regulation, abolition or replacement with another provision.

Alias said the charge was all this while determined by the service provider without being regulated by any enforcement agencies.