GEORGE TOWN, May 7 — Penang ratepayers will be paying the same assessment rates as last year after both city councils decided on a rebate of the new assessment rates which were supposed to be implemented this year.
Penang state exco Jagdeep Singh Deo said both the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) and Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) will be giving a total rebate of RM47.3 million in assessment rates this year.
“MBPP and MBSP have agreed to reduce the assessment rates for 281,949 and 327,401 ratepayers respectively this year,” he said during a joint press conference with MBPP and MBSP Mayors this morning.
He said this meant that MBPP will only be collecting a total of RM19.5 million and MBSP a total of RM27.8 million in assessment rates instead of the reviewed rates of RM54 million and RM39.7 million respectively.
Jagdeep said there were a total 649,950 ratepayers in the state and a total 95,125 have objected against a proposed assessment rate review.
He said a total 25,066 attended 175 public hearings to air their objections against the assessment rate review.
The state had announced an assessment rate review last year where annual value of properties were adjusted to reflect the current values while the actual assessment rates were reduced.
The adjustment to the annual value of properties, which had not been reviewed for 15 years, had led to higher property values and this brought the assessment fees payable up by between 50 and 98 per cent for some properties.
MBSP Mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang said the rebate on assessment rates this year means all ratepayers will be paying almost the same rates they paid last year.
“Some ratepayers may even be paying a bit less than what they paid last year after the rebate,” he said.
Yew said the new assessment bills reflecting the rebate will be issued in June and ratepayers will be receiving them between June and July.
MBSP Mayor Datuk Rozali Mohamud said all ratepayers on the mainland should also expect to pay the same assessment rates as last year.
