KUCHING: There is a need to review the assessment rates for high-rise apartments, said Deputy Premier of Sarawak Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian.
He said that as the trend for high-rise living was increasing in Sarawak, it was timely for council values to review and study and learn from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore so that the council’s assessment rates were fair to high-rise dwellers as well as traditional housing estates like RPR.
“One of the issues is the maintenance fee of the high rise apartments is collected by the building management and not the council,” he added today.
Dr Sim, who is also the Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government, however, added that the council still needed to provide rubbish collection such as waste management.
Earlier on, Dr Sim officiated at the Mural Wall Art Painting prize-giving ceremony at Papillion Street Mall, Batu Kawah New Township.
He said that the Padawan Municipal Council only collected RM20 million of assessment rates from 60,000 houses yearly. Of the amount, RM8 million was spent on waste management rusbank, which excluded grass cutting, street lighting, pothole repairs and others.
“This goes to show that Sarawak is trying to keep the assessment rates low. I can say that Sarawak has one of the lowest council rates in the whole of Malaysia. This is because the Sarawak government provides a lot of subsidies.
Commenting on the art painting competition themed ‘My City, My Home, Clean and Green’, organised by MPP, Trienekens (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd and MJC City Development Sdn Bhd, Dr Sim said that it was good to educate the people on the importance of clean, healthy and sustainable living.
“As Sarawak is committed to pursuing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to achieve healthier, sustainable living for the people,” he said.
Meanwhile, MPP chairman Lo Khere Chiang urged residents living in the council areas to share its vision and aspirations to keep the city clean, green and vibrant at all times.
As for the winners of the competition, Team Fiasco, which came first, took home RM3,000.
Joan Law, who came second, received RM2,500 while Team PSV IGKTAR, which came third, went home with RM1,500.
There were also five consolation prizes of RM500 each.
