Residents groups join forces to protest assessment hike
Published: Nov 20, 2013 5:45 AM | Updated: Nov 20, 2013 8:28 AM
At least five residents’ associations from the Bangsar have come together to protest a proposal by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to raise assessment rates by up to 300 percent.
At least five residents’ associations from the Bangsar have come together to protest a proposal by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to raise assessment rates by up to 300 percent.
According to The Star, the five met yesterday and the meeting was co-chaired by Bukit Bandaraya Residents Association president M Ali and Bangsar Baru Residents Association president George Joseph.
Recognising that strength lies in numbers, they reportedly plan to work together with other residents associations in the coming days and hope to send a memorandum to Kuala Lumpur mayor, Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor (right) as well as a minister in the Prime Minister's Department tomorrow.
Ali was quoted saying that the only explanation given by DBKL over the planned hike was that there had been no increase in the assessment rate for over 21 years, and that the rates are based on current rental charges.
However, he said this latter calculation was flawed as in Bangsar, many live in their own property.
“About 70 percent of the homes in Bangsar are occupied by owners. So why should the owners bear such a high increase when most residents are also retirees who are struggling to cope with rising costs,” he said, adding the group will call for a press conference on Friday to further drive home the point.
Meanwhile, Kinibiz today reported that the proposed hike in assessment could possibly trigger higher prices of goods and services.
According to Malaysian Muslim Restaurant Owners Association (Presma) president Noorul Saul Hameed, although most of its 3,500 members are tenants and do not own the properties they occupy, their landlords might decide to increase rental due to the new assessment taxes following the expiry dates of their tenancy agreements.
“That would increase our operational costs and eventually these would be passed on to our customers.
“We are concerned because the potential increase in costs and prices would affect our core customers who are from the middle to lower-income groups.
“For example, now you are still able to have a basic meal of roti canai and teh tarik within RM2-3, but with the new rates even that could increase,” he said.
According to The Star, the five met yesterday and the meeting was co-chaired by Bukit Bandaraya Residents Association president M Ali and Bangsar Baru Residents Association president George Joseph.
Recognising that strength lies in numbers, they reportedly plan to work together with other residents associations in the coming days and hope to send a memorandum to Kuala Lumpur mayor, Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor (right) as well as a minister in the Prime Minister's Department tomorrow.Ali was quoted saying that the only explanation given by DBKL over the planned hike was that there had been no increase in the assessment rate for over 21 years, and that the rates are based on current rental charges.
However, he said this latter calculation was flawed as in Bangsar, many live in their own property.
“About 70 percent of the homes in Bangsar are occupied by owners. So why should the owners bear such a high increase when most residents are also retirees who are struggling to cope with rising costs,” he said, adding the group will call for a press conference on Friday to further drive home the point.
Meanwhile, Kinibiz today reported that the proposed hike in assessment could possibly trigger higher prices of goods and services.
According to Malaysian Muslim Restaurant Owners Association (Presma) president Noorul Saul Hameed, although most of its 3,500 members are tenants and do not own the properties they occupy, their landlords might decide to increase rental due to the new assessment taxes following the expiry dates of their tenancy agreements.“That would increase our operational costs and eventually these would be passed on to our customers.
“We are concerned because the potential increase in costs and prices would affect our core customers who are from the middle to lower-income groups.
“For example, now you are still able to have a basic meal of roti canai and teh tarik within RM2-3, but with the new rates even that could increase,” he said.
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