FT Minister: Owners protesting assessment rate hike are confused
KUALA LUMPUR: The 80,000 property owners who are protesting against the hike in assessment rates by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) are confused because they thought it was a rise in assessment rate without realising that this will push up the value of their properties.
Federal Territory Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said the rise was actually a rise in the value of their property or their rental rate, which would have a positive impact on property owners in the Klang Valley.
"Thus, DBKL will send another notice to explain on this when the new value of properties comes into effect in January next year," he told reporters after launching the Tasik Selatan Park N Ride facilities, here Tuesday.
He said the commercial sector frequently faced problems with the auditors because when they declared the value of their respective properties, they were the rates fixed 21 years ago.
"This has led to differences in opinion between the auditors and commercial property owners," he said, adding that the percentage of assessment rate that would come into effect next Jan 1 would be based on the value of the said property.
"Whether the assessment rate is six percent, four percent or three percent, I have yet to decide. Wait for my decision," he said.
Tengku Adnan said that out of the total of 507,000 property owners in Kuala Lumpur, the number of owners who had protested up to this morning, the deadline for submitting protests, stood at about 80,000.
"Most of the protests had the same reason, that is, they did not understand that what would be raised would be the value of their properties and not the rate of assessment," Tengku Adnan explained.
Earlier report had stated that Tengku Adnan emphasised that the rise in the assessment rate imposed by DBKL would not be postponed but would come into force on Jan 1.
However, tax payers could delay the payment of their assessment up to March next year, that is, after the DBKL had heard the protests from the various groups concerning the matter.
The Tasik Selatan Park N Ride facilities costing RM19mil was officially opened by Tengku Adnan Tuesday which provides a total of 818 units of multi-level carparks, 169 units of open car parks, 78 parking lots for motorcycles, three parking lots for buses and 10 parking lots for taxis.
"The facility makes it convenient for LRT commuters to leave their vehicles and take public transport to go to Kuala Lumpur city centre," he added. - Bernama
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