Malay rights group Perkasa has alleged that the plan to increase the assessment rates for properties in Kuala Lumpur is a move to slowly drive the Malays out of the city.
Federal Territory Perkasa chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Abdul Hamid said things have been made worse with City Hall's refusal to accept complaints from organisations like Perkasa.
“The complainants must submit their complaints individually,” said Mohd Yusoff.
He urged Perkasa members to submit their objections on the assessment rate hike to City Hall before December 17.
He said other races like the Chinese had already protested over the assessment rate hike.
“We are not talking about small amounts here. It is an increase of between 100% and 300%. We should rise up and fight for our rights. We have no one to look after our benefits so we have to take care of ourselves,” said Mohd Yusoff in his speech at the state’s annual general meeting held at Kelab Sultan Sulaiman in Kuala Lumpur today.
Mohd Yusoff said City Hall's failure to revaluate properties in the city in the last 21 years was not the fault of property owners.
“Whose fault was it? Definitely not the property owners. It is clearly stated that City Hall can revise the property valuation every five years but it was not done. Now all of a sudden, there is a huge increase because the council needs money,” said Mohd Yusoff.
He said at the moment, there are only 15% of Malay property owners in the affluent Bangsar neighbourhood, including himself.
“Soon there will be no more Malays as they would sell off their properties as they can no longer afford to pay the assessment fees. Don’t drive me out of Kuala Lumpur,” said Mohd Yusoff.
Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim had said yesterday that a Pakatan Rakyat-controlled Kuala Lumpur City Hall would have offered the city's property owners a 10% revision in property valuation over the next five years, adding that this would have brought about a reasonable assessment charges for everyone.
Khalid, who is Bandar Tun Abdul Razak MP, had said that City Hall should also explain the mechanism used to calculate the increment in property valuation which results in a hike in the assessment fees.
The assessment rates are based on a certain percentage of the property valuation by City Hall. Currently, the rates for commercial properties is 12%, residential units 6% and vacant property or land 10%.
He also told the Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Mansor to stop talking too much and find the solution to reduce the rates.
Tengku Adnan had previously said that the move is to help owners revalue their property.
The property owners in Kuala Lumpur are expected to pay more for their assessment rates by January 1.
The move is expected to help City Hall rake in an additional RM400 million yearly. Tengku Adnan had said the money would be used to upgrade public parks, roads and markets in the city.
He had also said that the hike reflected the value of properties in Kuala Lumpur and the move would aid property owners who wanted to sell or rent out their properties.
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