Member of Parliament for Kota Kinabalu, Jimmy Wong yesterday urged the government to show mercy to Putatan folks who might resort to hunger strike to protest the hike in assessment rates in the district.

Several shop owners at Taman Jumbo commercial centre recently aired their grievances against the big hike in assessment rates of between 60 and 86 per cent by the Putatan District Council.

A Taman Jumbo resident claimed the housing assessment rates for Taman Jumbo had also soared by more than 160 per cent.

In view of this, Wong appealed to both Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Yahya Hussin and Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Mohd Noor to listen to the call for help from the folk in the district.

“Retract the unpopular decision to drastically increase the assessment rates to as high as 80 per cent on shop houses and up to 160 per cent for houses, under the present depressed economic situation affecting businesses and household incomes,” he urged.

“Follow the good example of DBKK (City Hall) not to increase rates this year till the economic situation recovers,” he said.

The KK MP also pledged to support the affected folk in Putatan as a way to persuade the local government.

“If the local government fails to take heed, the Putatan residents told me they will hold a public protest,” Wong claimed.

“All are in fact prepared to go all out on a hunger strike to protest,” he said.

“I, as MP for Kota Kinabalu, will have no choice and will be forced to come and join in the protest,” he said.

The shop owners also claimed to have only learnt about the hike in assessment rates when making a payment to the Putatan District Council.

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by Borneo Post

If you have any stories or news that you would like to share with the global online community, please feel free to share it with us by contacting us directly at [email protected]