The Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL)'s 2010 Budget totalling RM2.120 billion is expected to focus on convenience and safety for city folks especially in the provision of various facilities and infrastructure for them.

Mayor Ahmad Fuad Ismail in presenting the budget at the DBKL building today said RM1.102 billion of the budget will go for administration expenses and RM1.017 billion towards development purposes.

taman sri sentosa protest parking metre dbkl 151108 Under administration, DBKL has allocated RM236.64 million or a one percentage increase from 2009 for town council services, RM31 million for public health control and RM44.7 million for the maintenance of parks and recreational centres.

"These include three main parks and 15 public parks as well maintenance of 347 free areas and children's playparks, maintenance of trees, fertilization, horticulture and the planting of trees and landscaping," Ahmad Fuad said.

Another RM22.53 million has been allocated for the maintenance of buildings like community and multipurpose halls, stadium and sports complex, hawker centres and markets while RM76.85 million will go towards the maintenance of traffic lights, street lights, roads and RM24.8 million for the maintenance of flats.

As for the RM1.017 billion development budget, it will cater for 11 parliamentary areas where 131 projects are being implemented, 56 projects already in their final payments, 23 projects involving payment for consultants, and 62 new projects.

Wireless facilities

Also under the development allocation, RM31.62 million has been set aside for public facilities such as mosques and halls, RM46.65 million for the building of commercial centres, markets and stalls while RM5.39 million will go for sports facilities and RM42.53 million for convenient transportation and RM62.63 million for land acquisition and for the provision of wireless Internet facility in the city.

Another RM333.84 million has been allocated for the construction, maintenance and upgrading of main roads and roads while RM103.6 million will be for flood mitigation projects.

kl flood 160408 01 Currently, under the roads and flood mitigation plan, seven projects are already being carried out by City Hall involving RM111.8 million while another RM71.34 million will be spent next year.

As for housing projects, RM239.37 million has been set aside for the implementation of 48 public housing projects encompassing facilities for disabled people. Another RM9.45 million has been allocated to improve car parking systems.

He said DBKL will also enhance safety features for road users by increasing the number of closed circuit television (CCTV) units in the city to 300.

Assessment tax to be reviewed

Meanwhile, he said that while assessment tax was the main source of revenue for City Hall, there will be no increase in the rates for next year.

However there will be a review of the rate for 2011 as the City Hall has not reviewed it in the last 15 years, he said when unveiling DBKL's 2010 Budget here today.

The income from assessment tax amounting to RM755.08 million (currently) is still the main revenue source for the City Hall and it contributes 45.83 percent to DBKL's overall income, he said.

The current assessment tax rate for residential properties is six percent while for commercial buildings the rate is 12 percent.

Ahmad Fuad also said that the 90 percent of assessment taxes paid this year was satisfactory, while an 80 per centrate was achieved on the default payments for this year.

He also projected an income of RM1.647 billion next year for City Hall.

- Bernama