Call to refund penalty on expired business licence

Ting (left) getting feedback from a trader on crowd control at the central market.

SIBU: The Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) has been urged to return the 50% penalty that companies paid when renewing their expired business licence this month.

Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) chairman Clarence Ting said upon reopening of the Urban Transformation Centre (UTC), many traders renewed their licence.

However, they were told to pay RM25 as their licence had expired between March 18 and May 14.

“Under the normal procedure, upon expiry there is a 14-day grace period to renew their licence or else traders have to pay a penalty of 50%, ” he said during a visit to the Sibu central market.

Ting said as the UTC was closed during the movement control order (MCO), there was no other way for them to make payment to renew their licence.

Since the reopening of UTC on May 15, he said an average of 900 visitors were recorded daily.

Touching on assessment rate for 2020, he said amended bills with 25% discount for all the municipal holdings will be ready by May 27.

“As the council will not be delivering these bills as in previous years, we are asking everyone to register their email so we can send the rates via email. For those who have no email, they can go to UTC Sibu to print it, ” he added.

The deadline to pay the rate is on Oct 30 for both 1st half and 2nd half rates.

Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg, in unveiling the Sayangku Sarawak Covid-10 financial package on March 23, said a 25% discount on assessment rates above RM400 will be given to residential, commercial, industrial and special purpose holdings for the year 2020. – By ANDY CHUA