New assessment rates will take effect on January 1, insists Tengku Adnan

Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor poured cold water on the hopes of Kuala Lumpur property owners that the decision to raise the assessment rate has been deferred indefinitely.

Tengku Adnan today insisted that the new rates would apply from January 1.

He, however, clarified that while the new rates would take effect from January 1, property owners are allowed to postpone payment until a final decision is reached between the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and property owners.

"We can defer payment but the rate will automatically increase from January 1. What we will postpone is the implementation because with the objection period ending on December 17, it will take about three months for DBKL to hear all of them.

"We will start the hearing in December. The new rates will apply in January, we have to follow the act (Housing and Local Government Act).

"For 21 years, we did not raise anything," said Tengku Adnan.

Earlier, opposition lawmakers warned that the issue was far from over.

In a press conference at the Parliament lobby today, the KL opposition MPs pointed out that the implementation of the new assessment rates had only been postponed and not shelved.

"We are concerned that people in Kuala Lumpur were told that the exercise to increase the assessment rates is off.

"But it is not. We urge those who have yet to send their objection letters to do so before the due date of December 17," said Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai.

MORE TO COME