KUCHING: A resident of Jalan Pisang Barat is unhappy with the RM500 ringgit increase in assessment rate to RM1,840 from RM1,340 last year.
Chan Kok Kwong, who has been residing there for 37 years, claims that the authorities concerned have yet to upgrade the drainage system in his neighbourhood all these years.
“They never do anything, be it drains or others from day one I stayed there. Hence, it is unfair to expect us to pay more for assessment,” he told a news conference here accompanied by Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak secretary Chong Chieng Jen yesterday.
Chan said he received a notice from Kuching City North Commission (DBKU) two weeks ago.
The paper informed him of the reviewed rate, which is 37 per cent more.
He asked why the local council did not bother to issue a pre-notification letter to residents to explain on the hike.
“I did not extend my property and I see no reason for DBKU to do re-evaluation. Furthermore, there is no letter to explain why they have to hike up the rate.
“I can appeal and I am planning to do so,” he said, adding that he would have to pay for an appeal fee of RM20 and some hundreds for a property valuer to carry out an assessment.
He said some of his neighbours were facing similar problems with one having had to fork out RM2,140 to settle the assessment bill. This amount marked a 50 per cent increase as the neighbour paid RM1,420 last year.
On public services in his neighbourhood Chan said: “We used to have six times garbage collection per week and now twice a week. And if you want a big truck, you have to pay more.”
Chong, who is Bandar Kuching MP, felt that the authorities should notify residents before increasing the rates.
“DBKU owes the people an explanation on the sudden increase. Is it trying to shift the burden to house owners as a result of financing the privatisation of rubbish collection?”
He claimed that a local council in the state incurred expenses from RM5 million to RM10 million every year due to the privatisation of a service.
“They reduced the number of service from every day to twice a week and yet increased the assessment rates,” he said.
On Dec 30, 2010, DBKU Mayor Abang Mohd Atei Abang Medaan said the council collected RM30.97 million of total assessment rates last year.
“This is the highest in the history of DBKU. In addition, we managed to collect RM3.96 million from arrears surpassing our target,” he said during a function here last year.
Atei said the successful rates collection showed that the council had been more people-friendly while the communities showed greater understanding on their obligation.
“It is an indication that our approach to get our clients to pay has advanced. We deal with clients like they are friends of the council,” he added.