KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 29 — Property owners in Ipoh appear to be in the same boat as their counterparts in the national capital here, after Perak opposition politicians raised a ruckus today over a similar steep hike in assessment rates ahead of the payment deadline.

Perak Pakatan Rakyat (PR) chief Nga Kor Ming (picture) highlighted cases where the property valuation of several factories in industrial areas surrounding the city that has reportedly spiked by between 100 and 293 per cent.

He related a factory owner from the Menglembu industrial area who claimed he would have to pay RM22,896 in property valuation, a 293 per cent increase from last year’s valuation of RM7,800.

“I have also learned that the valuation of few factories around the Silibin industrial area here have been increased by about 100 per cent compared to last year’s rate,” Nga was quoted as saying by The Star Online.

Nga urged ratepayers in Ipoh to file complaints over the city council’s upwards revision of property valuation.

“Property owners have statutory rights to request the council to carry out a hearing. It is also the council’s duty to conduct hearing, case by case,” he was reported to have said during a break from the state assembly sitting.

Over the past weeks, home and business owners in Kuala Lumpur have been up in arms after they received notices to inform them of Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s plan to raise property taxes by between 100 and 250 per cent.

The Federal Territories and Urban Well-being Ministry and City Hall have since come under heavy fire from the public and politicians from both sides of the divide, who have urged the authorities to shelve their plan until they can justify the need for the hike.