Willing ear: Noorazam (second, left) flagging off the Sunbeam Run 2023. The mayor is urging property owners with tax objections to attend hearing sessions.
JOHOR BARU: Those who have filed their objections to Johor Baru City Council’s (MBJB) new property assessment rate have been urged to attend the tax objection hearing sessions, says Datuk Mohd Noorazam Osman.
The Johor Baru mayor said MBJB was prepared to hear from these property owners at the sessions, which will be held from today to Wednesday.
“The number of those objecting is very small – only about 1.1% of property owners. We urge them to attend the sessions.
“They have to come prepared with facts and evidence, including having their own valuer assess their properties.
“There is not much we can do if they only come out with financial issues as the reason for their objection.
“However, the state government has also said that it will look into the matter further,” he said when met after flagging off the Sunbeam Run 2023 here yesterday.
At a separate event, Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim said he is against the Pasir Gudang City Council’s (MBPG) move to increase the assessment tax.
“The tax increase must be discussed first. We have no objection if there is a need to increase it, but it must be done gradually.
“This decision will affect hundreds of thousands of Pasir Gudang residents. I urge the mayor to hold a townhall and debate (the issue) with me, a representative of the people of Pasir Gudang,” he said.
State housing and local government committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor had earlier told The Star that the Johor government will reconsider and re-examine the new assessment tax despite receiving only a small number of official objections from property owners.
“The period to file an objection under MBJB, Pengerang Municipal Council (MPP) and the Kluang Municipal Council (MPK) has ended,” he said.
Property owners under the Iskandar Puteri City Council (MBIP) and MBPG will have until Nov 15 to file their objections.
“Of the 459,135 property owners under MBJB, MPP and MPK, only 1.2%, or about 5,500, have officially filed an objection to the new property valuation and tax readjustment.
“However, the state government will still reassess the matter as we understand that the people are facing financial challenges.
“We hope that the public can be patient; let all the necessary processes, including the objection hearings, go through accordingly for now.
“Once everything has been completed, the state government will look into it again to ensure it is not burdening the people,” said Mohd Jafni.
He added that the last time local councils in Johor – with the exception of the Kulai Municipal Council (MPKu) – conducted a property valuation and tax readjustment was in 2013.
