Pahang won't hike quit rent for five years, says MB

Pahang Menteri Besar Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail has assured that the state government does not plan to increase quit rent (land tax) over the next five years, despite targeting an increase in revenue collection every year.

He gave this guarantee at the Pahang State Legislative Assembly sitting at Wisma Sri Pahang, Kuantan, today, saying that the state government has various plans to increase state revenue collection, including through recurring revenue collection.

"We cannot continue to be in the status quo (in revenue collection) due to various reasons such as salary increases, the increase in the number of civil servants and the cost of living which causes the state government to strive to increase revenue collection.

"One of the things that can be done is to increase the collection of recurring revenue, as we have about 740,000 land titles and if it can be increased up to one million titles, the annual revenue will increase.

"Likewise, if the process of changing conditions (on land status) is simplified, it will lead to higher income because it will increase land ownership," he said.

Wan Rosdy (above) said this when replying to a supplementary question from Chan Chun Kuang (Pakatan Harapan-Semambu) who wanted to know the state government's plans to increase revenue collection without increasing land tax.

Earlier, Wan Rosdy said that the state government collected revenue of RM1.288 billion last year, with the largest collection coming from land revenue with a total of RM754.8 million followed by other revenue such as entertainment duties and sustainability fees (RM284.15 million), forests ( RM134.18 million) and federal grants (RM91 million).

As for the collection by district, he said all districts except Cameron Highlands showed an increase last year compared to 2021, with Kuantan recording the highest amount of RM182.25 million followed by Bentong (RM70.68 million), Rompin (RM63.64 million), Jerantut ( RM55.66 million) and Pekan (RM51.28 million).

Replying to another supplementary question from Rodzuan Zaaba (BN-Jenderak) regarding the sustainability fee collection which was introduced last year at the rate of RM3, Wan Rosdy said it contributed RM9 million to state revenue collection, which was placed under revenue in other categories.

"This sustainability fee is the result of a proposal from state assembly speaker (Mohd Sharkar Shamsudin) when he was chairperson of the Pahang tourism committee, with one of the objectives being that it be reused for tourism marketing in addition to making necessary improvements," he said.

Wan Rosdy also said the state government is ready to consider the proposal of opposition leader Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (Perikatan Nasional-Cheka) that discounts be given to those who are willing and able to settle tax payments for a long period such as three or five years.

- Bernama