Buddhist Temple committee puzzled by council’s demand for payment

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KUCHING: The management committee of Buddhist Temple at Chawan Road here is puzzled and riled by a demand for payment of assessment rates dating back to 1977 from the Padawan Municipal Council (MPP).

A member of the committee Pui Vui Thai pointed out that the temple was under Kuching South City Council (MBKS) jurisdiction at Jalan Chawan and the ‘Certificate of Clearance of Indebtedness’ of assessment rate issued by MPP did not make sense.

“This property is situated under MBKS jurisdiction at Jalan Chawan. Why is MPP demanding the payment of  half of the outstanding assessment rate dating back to the 70s?” he said.

In trying to solve the issue Pui sought the help of Bandar Kuching MP Chong Chieng Jen.

During  a press conference held at Democratic Action Party (DAP) headquarters here yesterday, Chong said the demand was unreasonable as nobody kept receipts for 30 years.

Chong who is also Kota Sentosa assemblyman, added that there must be a time limit for demand of payment and that he would write to the MPP to seek clarification on whether the council had the right to collect given that the property is situated within MBKS.

Even tax payers were only bound to keep their tax returns for a maximum of seven years.

“And now MPP is demanding payment for alleged outstanding   assessment rate more than 20 years ago. How do you trace the debtors? In 30 years, properties could change hands many times,” he asked.

Chong said there were many other similar cases of property owners from various areas being issued letters of demand for outstanding assessment rates dating back 10 to 20 years.

Meanwhile, Pui, who is also the DAP Stampin branch chairman, said that there was a sudden increase of assessment rate for his personal property at Taman Seng Goon.

“The first half year assessment rate for 2010 is RM145.75 while the second half is RM234.53. It is an increase of 60.9 per cent. Many residences in Taman Seng Goon received the same increase in assessment rate without notification.”

He said he had not renovated or extended his house since bought in 1989.

Chong believed that MBKS had changed its method of calculation of the assessment rate.

“Previously it is ‘enclosed within the area’ and now they changed it to ‘any build up area’ which included car porch. This is improper, unfair and may tantamount to being illegal. I’ll write to MBKS to seek clarification on what basis of the rate increment,” he said.