Under pressure, Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan announced yesterday the reduction in the taxation rate (percentage rate) of Kl properties.
Commercial properties will be charged 10% while residential properties will be charged 4%, down from the current 12% and 6%, respectively.
However, the percentage cuts are insufficient to offset the huge increases in the revised annual value and KL ratepayers still cannot heave a sigh of relief.
For example, a residential property with old annual value of RM 10000 will pay RM600 with old percentage rate of 6%.
If the revised annual value is RM 30000, the owner will have to pay RM 1200 even the taxation rate has been reduced to 4 %. This is still a substantial increase.
So Tengku Adnan has not come up with a formula that will not burden the people.
Unless the annual values can be brought down substantially, Tengku Adnan’s choice is to further cut the taxation rates.
Tengku Adnan has also said that further rebates will be given to disabled property owners, retirees and owner-occupied premises. Why has he not announced the quantum of rebates?
He also said that City Hall was expecting revenue of RM400mil from the revaluation exercise, but with the revision City Hall will only be getting RM200mil.
This shows that City Hall is still going to collect substantial increase in revenue at a time when city dwellers have been burdened by higher cost of living.
How does he know the revenue will be RM 200 million even before hearing the objections made by 150,000 rate payers? Has he already decided that there will not be any revision of annual values?
I wish to remind Tengku Adnan that any increase must be gradual and imposed with guaranteed improvement in services.
Tengku Adnan’s favorite phrase is that BN is a government that cares for the people. Such phrase really rings hollow and he should stop repeating it.
Comparison of Property Valuation Hike to Women With Make-up Is Improper
It is shocking that he has used a off-colour joke to justify the rate increase. He was reported (in Malaysiakini) to say, “If you enhance your property, it is the same as women. If you don’t wear make-up, the price is cheaper, right?”If you wear make-up, it is pricier. Isn’t it the same?”.
How could he use woman as an analogy, and worse to say that women with make up are pricier. Women are not properties, they don’t tag with a price. The property valuation hike carried out by DBKL cannot be liken to women with make-up, these two are not comparable.
These are insensitive and unbecoming remarks from a Minister and Tengku Adnan must retract them and make an apology.
I have commented before that many statements made by Tengku Adnan on the property valuation exercise show that he is confused about the whole issue.
With his latest off colour analogy, , I must say that Tengku Adnan is the most confused minister in cabinet , one who can’t even differentiate human beings with properties.
It is certainly necessary for Women and Family Development Minister to offer him a course on gender sensitivity.