KOTA KINABALU: Ratepayers in the state capital owe a whopping RM75.68mil in assessment arrears, says Kota Kinabalu City Mayor Datuk Seri Dr Sabin Samitah.

       The amount in arrears was about RM54.30mil, with interests running up to RM19.21mil and another RM2.16mil chalked up with legal notices for payment.

       He said that last year (2023), the city hall filed 11 assessment rate claim notices amounting to RM30,485.73 and seven lawsuits to recover RM64,518.24.

       "In the same year, 68 cases have also been filed in court involving arrears of previous years that led to the recovery of RM634,051.52," he told reporters at a press conference after gathering with the media here.

       "City Hall encourages all ratepayers to pay their dues to avoid being charged interest and legal action," he said.

       As part of efforts to encourage ratepayers to pay their outstanding assessments, Sabin said they would receive a discount if they paid all the outstanding amount due to City Hall.

       Sabin added, "A five per cent rebate on the current year's assessment rate is given if ratepayers pay the current year's rates before March 31, 2024".

       StarPicks

       MAXIS BUSINESS DRIVES THE SMART MOBILITY REVOLUTION

       Earlier, Sabah, who took over as Mayor on Jan 3, said his focus was improving services for ratepayers while tackling various issues facing the city.

       "We want to make KK City Hall one of the most well-liked agencies," he said, adding that this can be achieved by taking proactive measures to meet the city's needs.

       "One of the initiatives is to inculcate a sense of urgency among all levels of staff to tackle issues through efficiency and transparency in handling people's problems," he added.