70% assessment tax outstanding – minister

TAWAU: Local authorities (PBTs) have been urged to find ways to increase their revenue collection, including to raise public awareness on making payment to settle the outstanding assessment tax.

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Jaujan Sambakong said due to lack of awareness among the public of the importance of paying assessments and other taxes, it had affected the PBTs efforts to boost development and activities for residents in their respective areas.

“The overdue taxes across Sabah are quite high and 70 per cent of them are from assessment tax alone,” he said after officiating at the 21st PBTs Valuation Officers Convention and Meeting here.

He said the assessment tax is not the same as income tax and through the tax local authorities would be able to develop their areas.

“The tax will be used for providing facilities, security, streetlights, garbage collection, including education and others,” he said.

“The people must understand their responsibility,” he said, adding local authorities need to educate and not go after those with outstanding payment.

“We want a community that is with forward thinking, responsible and law abiding,” he added.

Meanwhile, Tawau Municipal Council president Alijus Sipil said the convention was beneficial to all PBTs valuation officers to share knowledge on improving the quality and to offer better service to the public.

The programme involved 172 PBT officers nationwide.

Jaujan hitting the ‘gong’ to launch the 21st Local Authority Assessment Officers Convention as host Tawau Municipal Council president Alijus Sipil (third left) and Assessment Officer Association chairman Dr Hj Soeb Hj Pawi (fifth left) look on.

Jenifer launching the digital maker device at the SK (C) Anglo Chinese’s newly launched My Digital Maker Hub yesterday.