ISKANDAR PUTERI, Aug 23 — The Johor government has reported a decline in revenue collected from all 16 local councils due to Covid-19 financial assistance since the start of the pandemic, the state assembly was told today.
Johor Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Ayub Jamil said the revenue from business licences for all of last year totalled RM64,029,472.91 while the amount collected until July 31 this year came to RM 32,902,589.71.
He explained that the decrease was because of licence exemptions to businesses, which included those issued to hawkers last year, and was expanded to include small and medium enterprise (SME) traders this year, as part of Covid-19 financial reliefs.
“It is estimated that there are 50 types of licences used by local authorities throughout Johor.
“The decrease in licence revenue collection by Johor local authorities is due to the exemption of hawker licence fees last year and the exemption of licence fees for hawkers and SME traders this year,” the state executive councillor said in reply to Chew Chong Sin (DAP-Mengkibol).
Chew had asked about the collection of business licence fees throughout the state by local authorities since last year.
Ayub, who is also the Rengit assemblyman, added that the local authorities have not imposed any late fines or compounds throughout the Covid-19 pandemic period.
“There will be no late fines or compounds issued to any trader who is late or fails to renew the business licence within the movement control order and Phase One of the National Rehabilitation Plan,” he stressed.
