Chong chides Yap over claim of lack of development in Stutong Resettlement Scheme
KUCHING: Bandar Kuching MP Chong Chieng Jen has challenged Local Government Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian to disclose the full amount of the assessment rates paid by the house- owners of the Stutong Resettlement Scheme in the past 10 years and to be held accountable for the lack of development in the area despite the payment of the assessment.
Chong, who is also Kota Sentosa assemblyman, said this in response to the claim by the SUPP Complaints Bureau chief, Wilfred Yap, because the Opposition has won in the area, there was no development in Stutong Resettlement Scheme for the past 10 years.
“Such a statement is most laughable and only reflects the ignorance and immaturity on the part of Yap as a politician and such statement coming from a trained lawyer as Yap, makes it even more ridiculous.
“As trained lawyers, we all know that in our first-year law school, we were all taught about the different roles of the Parliament and the Executive, amongst which, we were taught that it is the government’s duty to properly manage the country’s coffers and to provide infrastructural development in any area because the people pay taxes to the government,” he said in a press statement yesterday.
Chong, who is state DAP chairman, said the house- owners in the Stutong Resettlement Scheme paid their assessment rates to the government of the day, the Kuching South City Council ( MBKS).
“It is thus the duty of the government to develop the infrastructure in the area. If the BN government does not wish to develop the area, then it shall have no rights and justification to collect assessment rates from the house- owners in the area.
“Besides paying assessment rates, they also pay income taxes, GST, import duties and other taxes.”
Furthermore, Chong pointed out that Yap’s claim ( about the total lack of development in Stutong Resettlement Scheme for the last 10 years because the Opposition state assemblyman has won in the area) is a total lie itself.
“In fact, there was actually some infrastructural upgrading work done in the area in the past 10 years, though it still leaves much to be desired. However, to say that there is total lack of development as claimed by Wilfred Yap is also not true.
“If it were true that there was totally no development in the area, then MBKS must refund to the residents all the assessment rates collected from the houseowners in the area.
“That area also falls under the Parliamentary seat of Stampin, which was held by SUPP up till 2013. The previous MP for Stampin was Datuk Yong Khoon Seng who was then the Deputy Minister of Works. Is Wilfred Yap also alleging that the SUPP MP for Stampin was also not doing his job to develop the area?”