KUCHING: The assessment rate in Sarawak is among the lowest as it remains unchanged since 1970 despite the increase in cost of operations and public services throughout that period.
Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Professor Dr Sim Kui Hian took the example of the parking rate in Sarawak still being charged 20 sen at each local council even after decades.
He explained that many local councils in various states have increased their assessment rate to the point where the parking rate can reach RM1 per hour.
"But why are we doing all this, because all council members and all parties involved are working hard to help the people, to ensure that the cost of living does not increase," he said at the Ministry of Public Health, Housing and Local Government (MPHLG) Awards Ceremony here, Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Datuk Amar Dr Sim also called on local councils to continue to maintain high standards, especially in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) roadmap being implemented in Sarawak.
The MPHLG Minister explained that the implementation is currently above the national average but is necessary to maintain the standard which is termed as the higher 'Borneo Forest' standard.
"The important thing is that our Sarawak SDG Roadmap, whether it is a city council, a municipal council or a rural district council, must be above the national average.
"What does above the national average mean? It means we are better than 50 per cent, if not higher.
"This 'Borneo Forest' standard is important because as Sarawak moves forward, Sarawak by 2030 will be very different from today," he explained.
Also present were MPHLG Deputy Ministers Datuk Michael Tiang Ming Tee and Datuk Dr Penguang Manggil, MPHLG Permanent Secretary Datu Elizabeth Loh, Mayor of Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Dato Wee Hong Seng and Chairman of Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) Cr Tan Kai. -UKASnews
Reporter: Ahmad Daniel Faiz
Photographer: Mohd Hisyam Arif
Translator: Nerissa Sia
