Ismadi (centre) with Tan (left), Mohd Shamsuddin (second from right) and another winner, Vignesh Sakthinathan (right).
City Hall urges residents to settle assessment fees early in the year to fund projects planned for Kuala Lumpur
Prizes worth RM394,000 were won by 133 Kuala Lumpur residents who joined City Hall’s lucky draw contest.
Bonanza Cukai Taksiran Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) Assessment Tax Bonanza 2024 was organised by City Hall as appreciation to property owners who were punctual in paying their assessment taxes and who had no arrears.
Additionally, it acted as an incentive for those with arrears to settle their taxes.
The initiative was open to residential property owners, corporate properties, government- linked companies as well as financial and non-financial institutions in Kuala Lumpur, and winners were chosen on DBKL’s Facebook page and via livestream.
The main prize was a white BYD Dolphin electric car, in line with DBKL’s goal to reduce carbon production by 70% in 2030.
The winner, a company director who only wanted to be identified as Tan, 50, shared his funny reaction to receiving the joyful news.
“When I first learned about this from my company’s staff, I actually thought it was a scam.
“I called DBKL and was very happy to find out it was real because I did not expect to win,” he added.
Tan has decided to put the RM100,500 car to use in ways that will benefit his company.
Mohd Shamsuddin Othman, 46, meanwhile, was one of two people taking home a Honda Vario 160 motorcycle.
“I paid the assessment tax twice, then registered online to participate in the draw,” he said.
Mohd Shamsuddin also initially thought the winner annoucement was a scam, but was grateful to be gifted his first motorcycle.
“I’ll be using it for short distance trips only, mainly to go to work,” said the librarian at a law firm.
Other prizes included gold coins, microwave ovens, vacuum cleaners, 50-inch LED TV, Apple iPad Mini and electric bicycles.
Presenting the prizes was DBKL executive director (socio-economic development) Ismadi Sakirin.
“Of the assessment tax paid to DBKL, 62.4% is allocated to the city’s management, maintenance and development projects,” Ismadi said in his speech.
All property owners are responsible for settling their assessment taxes for the first term before Feb 28 or 29, and by Aug 31 for the second term.
“However, we do encourage both payments to be made in the first term so that the income can be used to carry out projects that have been arranged for the year,” said Ismadi.
Aside from the contest, recycled water bottles were given to property owners who cleared one year’s assessment tax in one go.
“We would like to remind residents to update their emails and phone numbers because we will no longer distribute bills by post,” Ismadi said, emphasising one of the eco-friendly initiatives that City Hall has taken.
Also present for the prize-giving at DBKL Tower 1 were executive director (planning) Datuk Zulkarnain Hassan and executive director (project management) Mohamad Hamim.
