Assessment rate hike protesters 'are confused'

The ongoing outcry against the proposed assessment rate increase for Kuala Lumpur is the result of "confusion" caused by the opposition, said Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.

"We have done the best for the people, and they (the opposition) are actually confusing the people.

"We have said it multiple times: there is no hike on the rate. Instead, there is an increase in the property value and rental valuation, which is good for the rakyat and the commercial sector.

"Most of the objection letters received are similar because they (the people) do not understand," he told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur.

For instance, if the value has risen to RM100,000 from RM40,000, the property owner will not have to pay RM100,000, but just a fraction of it.

Only 80,000 objections

However, he reiterated that the exact percentage of the new assessment rates would be announced by the end of the month.

Thus far, only an estimated 80,000 out of 507,000 affected property owners have submitted their objection letters to the revised valuation before the 12pm deadline yesterday, he said.

Tengku Adnan said this showed that not all property owners were "confused" about the matter.

He was commenting on the protest by some 500 people  the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) headquarters yesterday, opposing the new valuations which would result in higher assessment fees.

Tengku Adnan said the protest was "pointless" and that it was inappropriate for Pakatan Rakyat MPs, who led the protest, to ask for the Kuala Lumpur mayor's resignation.

Ku Nan apologises, again

Meanwhile, Tengku Adnan reiterated that DBKL had made a mistake by failing to clearly explain its notice on the new property valuation, which he said had contributed to the confusion.

"I may have apologized 10 times (before), but I still can apologise (again).  It is a mistake done by us when we sent out the notice," he said.

He assured that the mistake will be rectified and a new letter would be issued by the mayor to properly explain the situation before the new valuation is adopted on Jan 1.

Tengku Adnan was speaking to reporters after launching the ‘park and ride' parking lot at the Bandar Tasik Selatan traffic interchange station.