Vexed over a quit rent hike that saw increases up to 9,900 percent, some 30,000 Kedahans voiced their protest by participating in a massive signature campaign.

Some 20 associations and NGOs participated in the campaign, which will be presented to the Prime Minister's Department.

"We have received overwhelming response from Kedahans of all races. It goes beyond all political parties," said David Lim, chairperson of a special committee calling for a quit rent review.

Participating in the campaign are the Kedah Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Central Kedah Chinese Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Southern Kedah Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Kedah Indian Chamber of Commerce, Bar Committee Kedah and Perlis, Real Estate and Housing Developers' Association Kedah and Perlis, Kedah Woman and Children Welfare Awareness Committee and the Kedah Sikh Association.

More equitable rent

The group also includes Kedah and Perlis Taxpayers Association, Simpang Kuala Shop Owners Committee, Gandhi Memorial Hall Sungai Petani, Kedah Senior Citizen Association, Kedah Indian Association, Malay Community Empowerment, Community Awareness Association and Rural Citizen Association Kedah.

"Thousands of volunteers of all races have gone round all corners in Kedah, from cities to villages, from shop to shop and house to house, in coffee shops, nasi kandars, tamans, kenduris and wedding dinners to collect signatures," he said.

The group is requesting the state government to stop the implementation of the Quit Rent Revision collecting the quit rent at the old rates for the time being.

The want a new quit rent that is "more equitable."

Kedah Menteri Besar Mahdzir Khalid announced an across the board quit rent hike, which the state government said was the lowest nationwide.

Independent surveys were carried out by a special committee from the Kedah Chinese Assembly Hall. The committee found that the increases ranged from 100 to 9,900 percent.

"Kedah, that has always been characterised as a backward state surprisingly has much higher quit rent rates than those of the more developed states such as Selangor, Penang, Johor and Perak," said Lim.

The committee insisted that the 2004/2005 Quit Rent Revision contravened the National Land Code.

Temporary rebate

Lim said there was not much help from local state assemblypersons and members of Parliament.

"Last March, we organised a dialogue session on the matter. Only two representatives turned up," said Lim.

The same month, the state government had said it would look into the matter, appointing an exco member to take charge.

Last May, Mahdzir announced a temporary rebate to be granted for three years on all quit rent and the deadline extended to August. The deadline was later extended to December.

The menteri besar however said the government would not review and amend the Quit Rent Revision.

The committee said since the announcement, the committee had held several meetings with groups, with little results.

"The there is no confrontation at all in this issue. It would be ironical should Kedahans confront or oppose the government elected by them,

"The Kedahans simply want to inform the MB that the government has made a serious and unlawful mistake immediately," said Lim.