Sarawak govt urged to absorb quit rent on properties instead of raising it

SIBU: The Sarawak state government has been urged to reduce or absorb the quit rent for properties instead of raising it from Jan 1.

Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) president Voon Lee Shan (pic) said in a statement on Wednesday (Dec 28) that the increase affecting land and landed or commercial property was not feasible given the current economic situation.

"Business has yet to pick up from the effects of Covid-19. The GPS government should consider that the people are struggling and have weak purchasing power," he said.

Voon also questioned how business owners could cover the increase in quit rent given such circumstances, adding that the state government does not need the extra money because it "is rich and has a surplus budget."

"It does not make sense for the Land and Survey Department to say the increase is justified, on the basis that quit rent in Sarawak is the lowest in Malaysia," he said.

He stressed that some goods and services in many places in Sarawak are more expensive by at least 10% to 20% than in the peninsula.

The state Land and Survey Department had issued a statement earlier in the day saying quit rent for shophouses is to be increased from RM0.22 to RM1.62 per sq m, while for some commercial properties, the rate is increased from RM0.20 to RM1.46 per sq m.