The assessment rates in the district of Selayang is expected to increase by Jan 1 next year and residents are crying foul.

At present, the rates stand at eight percent for residential houses which is higher than the more developed areas of Ampang Jaya, Subang Jaya, Shah Alam and Klang.

At a joint press conference today, organised by Selayang branch of Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM), Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and PAS, it was announced that a mass petition campaign against the hike would be launched.

M Mokhtar Rosaidi (far right), a committee member of PAS Selayang, said that the rates increase was unjustifiable as improvement in services were not in tandem with increased rates.

Mokhtar said that the Selayang Municipality Council (MPS) never announced the new rates nor held dialogues with the rate payers.

"The only indication was a footnote in our assessment bill," said Mokhtar.

Rural area affected

Vice president of PRM and the party's Selayang branch leader Koh Swee Yong (second from left) agreed and asked how the assessment rates there could be higher than that of more developed areas.

In Subang Jaya, a relatively better developed area, the Subang Jaya Municipal Council charges five percent for residential houses.

Koh claimed there also appears to be discrepancies in the rates as houses in adjacent housing estates were charged different rates.

"There are many rural areas within the Selayang district. Many lower income families would be severely affected," he said.

The three party branches initiated the petition campaign as many Selayang town folks had told them that they did not know how to protest against the impending hike.