DBKL cuts assessment rates by two to three percent

In respond to recent protests, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) will cut assessment rates for property owners in the city by 2-3 percent from 2014, Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said.

Commercial properties will be charged 10 percent, while residential properties will be charged 4 percent. Previously the applied rates for these owners, who make up the bulk of ratepayers, were 12 and 6 percent respectively.

However, actual rental assessments which were hiked by as much as 300 percent for some will be kept, pending a review of complaints filed. This means that most property owners will still end up paying more taxes next year.

“Legally, we have gazetted the hike for now but we can still hear objections and do whatever is necessary,” Tengku Adnan (left) told reporters at DBKL headquarters.

“We hope people will be responsible... we take it in good faith as far as DBKL is concerned. You cheat us, you cheat God!”

Instead of its earlier target of RM400 million, the new tax rates means DBKL may raise some RM200 million more, he said.

The biggest tax rate  cut of 3 percent were for service apartments and owners of empty land.

[More to follow]