Nor Kamarul (left) handing over the groups’s objection letter to MPAJ representative Khairulazmi Abd Rahman (right) at Menara MPAJ.
A GROUP of Ampang Jaya ratepayers are urging the local council to postpone the planned assessment tax hike.
The group, representing some 20 neighbourhoods and strata properties, is asking the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) to instead review the new assessment rates before its planned implementation next year.
Warga Prihatin Ampang Jaya Action Committee chairman Nor Kamarul Baharom said that MPAJ should increase its level of service before increasing the tax.
“There are still many issues that need to be addressed such as slope safety, overgrown trees and derelict vehicles.
"We think that the new tax of more than 25% of the current price will be a burden to residents", he said during a memorandum handover at Menara MPAJ on Thursday (May 30).
He added that while it was understandable to increase the tax rate since the last hike was in 1997, but it should be a gradual and reasonable increase. Nor Kamarul said that the reevaluation exercise should be redone to better reflect the current economic situation.
Also present during the handover was former Lembah Jaya assemblyman Khasim Abdul Aziz and some 50 residents.
The committee claims to represent roughly 20,000 residents from areas such as Taman Nirwana, Taman Cahaya, Pandan Jaya and Bukit Permai.
Soon after, Teratai assemblyman Yew Jia Haur visited the MPAJ headquarters to submit several hundred objection letters.
He urged ratepayers who are unhappy with the tax hike to submit their appeals to MPAJ before the May 31 deadline.
MPAJ started issuing notices of assessment tax rate changes on April 23.
The ongoing revaluation exercise will involve some 180,000 properties within Ampang Jaya.
