80,000 objection letters received over assessment rate hike, says Tengku Adnan

 

Property owners were among those gathered outside Kuala Lumpur City Hall yesterday to protest 

against the assessment rate hike. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Abd Halim, December 17, 2013.

Kuala Lumpur City Hall has received an estimated 80,000 objection letters from property owners unhappy with the assessment rate hike, said Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor today.

"I discussed with my officers today and out of the 507,000 property owners, only about 80,000 had submitted their objections.

"Most of the complaints are the same as they (property owners) do not understand... and the opposition is spinning the matter out of proportion," an irate Tengku Adnan told reporters today.

He then went on to apologise again over the confusion arising out of the revaluation of properties in the city.

"I think this is like the 10th time I'm apologising and I can still apologise. It's a mistake done by us, so we are going to correct it," he added.

"People were insulting the mayor yesterday, asking him to resign but this is very uncalled for... We are doing it for the betterment of the people."

Tengku Adnan added that the new valuation is also good for commercial properties.

"I have not decided on the rates. However, the deadline to submit the objection letters is midnight," he said after launching the Park 'N Ride facility at the Southern Integrated bus Terminal (TBS) in Kuala Lumpur.

Hundreds of property owners turned up at the City Hall headquarters in Jalan Raja Laut yesterday to protest against the controversial assessment rate hike – a day before the deadline for appeals to be submitted against the increase in the valuation of properties which has not changed in 21 years.

The protesters were accompanied by Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, Batu MP Tian Chua, Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun, Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar and Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng.

Property owners in the city have been up in arms over the assessment rate hike after receiving notices from City Hall informing them of the new valuation for their properties.

The valuation of some properties will increase between 100% and 250% and owners fear that this will result in higher assessment rates, which is calculated based on a percentage of the property valuation. – December 17, 2013.