KAJANG MCA deputy president Wee Ka Siong has accused the Selangor government of charging exorbitant assessment rates and premiums on land in order to pay for the high salaries of the menteri besar and state executive councillors.

"They are so hard up for money, and they have no money to pay for the menteri besar and exco members’ pay increments, so probably this is the revenue," Wee told reporters today.

Raising a complaint made to the MCA Kajang by-elections operations centre, he said one resident's assessment rate for an acre of agricultural land shot up from RM9.20 to RM622 immediately after Pakatan Rakyat took over in 2008.

Wee said that RM622 was fixed after several appeals and that this was an increase of more than 19,000 percent - a rate that could land the Pakatan government in the Malaysia Book of Records.

The resident, Ng Poh Koon, who was also present at the press conference in Taman Berjaya, said he sent three letters to the state exco in charge, but there was no response.

"There has been no increase of facilities or services for this plot of land. I maintain the dirt road and rubbish myself and there has been no water, drainage or street lights since 2007. This is something unjustifiable," Ng said.

Leasehold rates four to five times higher

Similarly, Wee said, the Selangor government charges premiums "four to five times higher" for leasehold extensions than the charges in Malacca and Johor.

For example, he said, one Kajang resident found he had to pay RM185,550 for a 99-year lease on his house on 5,706 square feet of land, which works out to RM32.50 per square feet (psf).

He said that the notice issued to the resident just before the BN-led Selangor government fell in 2008 was only RM47,000 for the same number of years.

"Under BN it was RM1.50psf for 99 years and 50 sen psf for 60 years...This is Selangor under the leadership and advice of their 'supreme' (econmic) adviser Anwar Ibrahim," Wee said.

He said the state also "lied" to the rakyat by saying temporary occupational licences would be converted into grants for only RM1,000, since it did not state that the land premium still had to be paid upon sale of the land.

"This is why I call them Parti Kelentong Rakyat (PKR)," he said, adding that PKR has thus far been "arrogant" by ignoring the "petty" local government issues.

"If Chew Mei Fun is elected into the state assembly this will be her top priority."