ISKANDAR PUTERI, Sept 6 — The Johor government is aiming for revenue collection of RM1.61 billion from local authorities in the state in 2022, based on the rising number of withholding tax holders and stakeholders.
The chairman of the state housing and local government committee Ayub Jamil told the state assembly here today that the revenue forecast, however, is subject to changes.
“Based on collections in 2020, four local authorities in Johor had collected over RM100 million, namely Johor Baru City Council with RM403 million, Iskandar Puteri City Council RM271 million; Pasir Gudang City Council RM174 million and Kulai Municipal Council RM111 million,” he said.
Ayub (BN-Rengit) said four more local authorities managed to collect between RM20 million and RM50 million, namely Pontian Municipal Council, Segamat Municipal Council, Tangkak District Council, and Kota Tinggi District Council.
Four other local authorities, ie Yong Peng District Council, Labis District Council, Simpang Renggam District Council, and Mersing District Council collected under RM20 million, according to Ayub.
He was responding to Tan Hong Pin’s (PH-Skudai) query on state revenue collection for the years 2020, 2021, and 2022 and measures that have been undertaken by the state government to help those impacted by the pandemic, especially the M40 and B40 income groups.
Ayub said the local authorities have not taken punitive actions such as confiscations and fines as many people and businesses have not been able to pay tax arrears due to the impact of the coronavirus.
Apart from that, he said micro-enterprises such as hawkers and traders have been exempted from paying license fees. This has benefited 35,765 license holders in Johor in 2021, with the loss of revenue estimated at RM 5.11 million.
The exemption of rental payment of premises and markets benefited 45,567 tenants, which included 6,364 entrepreneur premises and 39,203 market traders, which cost local authorities RM15.2 million in 2021. — Bernama
