Sarawakians benefit from Adenan’s policies
KUCHING: The decision by the state BN to reduce assessment rates and other local taxes has benefited even those who do not pay taxes and this can help stimulate economic growth, said Padawan Municipal Chairman Lo Khere Chiang.
“I think it’s very good because it reduces the burden on our people, which means our people have a little bit more money to spend,” Lo told reporters in Kuching today.
Abolishing the toll and quit rent, reducing the assessment rates and electricity tariffs… all these things that the chief minister has done have reduced the burden of our people,” said Lo, who is also Batu Kitang state assemblyman.
In April, Chief Minister Adenan Satem announced a statewide reduction in the assessment tax rate. This followed a state government move in March to abolish quit rent.
“Such policies give people extra money in their pockets so they can spend.
“You spend here, people get jobs. Everybody gets a share of the cake. I think it’s an excellent idea,” said Lo.
Since taking office in 2014, Adenan has enacted several populist policies aimed at reducing the cost of living.
For example, farmers who own less than 100 acres of land no longer need to pay taxes.
Electricity tariffs were cut since last April by between 2% and 40%, with RM20 in subsidies for each low-income household.
Tolls at three bridges in Kuching, Sibu and Miri have been removed, while a RM1 ferry fee ceiling was enforced this year.
Such people-centric policies were promoted by the state BN campaign during the recently-concluded state election.
Lo belongs to the BN component party, Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP).
In April, DAP charged that the cuts in assessment rates did little to affect living cost.
The Opposition party also blamed the BN MPs for passing the Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill in 2014, which DAP said was the chief reason for the rise in living cost.
“This (Adenan’s) policy is no better than former CM Taib Mahmud’s policy.
“He may give some goodies to the people by abolishing quit rent, help smallholders or residential houses, reducing the government’s revenue by about RM8 million,” state DAP leader Chong Chieng Jen was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, Lo said residents who already had paid the full year assessment rates, which has been reduced by 20%, will get a rebate.
“Not to worry because in their next bill, the council will repay you. I know some people at the beginning of the year, have already paid all their assessment. First-half, second-half, they’ve paid off everything,” Lo said.
“They don’t want to have the hassle of going to the council in the beginning of the year and going back to the council in the middle of the year again. So these good law-abiding citizens paid off early. Not to worry, the council will repay you in your next bill.”
Lo added that he did not know if control over the district of Matang, located to the north-west of the capital, will be ceded from the Padawan Municipal Council to the Kuching North City Hall (DBKU).
“I can’t tell for sure what is going to happen in the future but this subject has been talked about before.
“I think, at the end of the day, DBKU wants to see if it’s worth taking over. If it’s not worth it for DBKU to take over, why should they do it and make a loss?
“If they take over and it costs more money to look after the place, it may not be economically viable for them to take over, ” said Lo.
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2016/05/20/sarawakians-benefit-from-adenans-policies/
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