AMPANG: AMPANG Jaya property owners are urged to settle their assessment tax with the local council or risk having enforcement action taken against them.
The Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) is sending out notices and would confiscate the belongings of errant ratepayers to recover RM17mil in arrears.
Its president Dr Ani Ahmad (pic, below) said notices will be sent to owners who have arrears exceeding RM200.
"The assessment tax will go towards upgrading and maintenance of facilities in the Ampang Jaya municipality.
"Owners can also appeal to MPAJ to allow for instalment payments if they are unable to pay in lump sum," she said during the council’s full board meeting.
She added that MPAJ was carrying out periodical operations against ratepayers who failed to pay the tax for more than two years.
On May 21, an operation at eight premises in Taman Bukit Indah, Ampang was done to recover RM258,842 in unpaid tax.
However, the council only managed to collect RM82,220 from the defaulters.
Meanwhile, Ani said that 1,532 premises were inspected since January for the state’s plastic bag charge collection programme.
Of this number, 753 premises were charging for plastic bags while 728 premises were plastic bag-free premises. 51 premises were found to be non-active/closed.
"For 2022, the total collection under the programme was RM1,046,307.58. About 60% (RM627,784.55) was handed over to the state, while the remaining RM368,811.95 was deposited into MPAJ’s Amanah Account," she said, adding that as of May 23, MPAJ had collected RM617,729.98.
About 114 compounds were issued to business owners between 2022 and 2023 for non-compliance under the Trade, Business and Industry 2007 bylaw as well as the Food Establishment 2007 bylaw.
"A briefing on the plastic bag charge collection programme 2.0 for 500 licence holders will also be held," she said.
Since Jan 1, 2020, businesses in Selangor had been required to register with their local councils to hand over the 20 sen charge for every plastic bag sold as levied by businesses on consumers.
The collection programme was part of a state directive where businesses that charge customers for the sale of plastic bags would have to channel the collection to their respective local councils.
From the amount collected, 60% of the collection went to the state and 40% remained with local councils.
The money was to be used for environment-related causes.
Types of businesses that are subject to the programme include supermarkets, hypermarkets, restaurants, cafes, pharmacies, accessories shops and clothing stores.
Under the programme, business licence-holders must register and pay the charges as the receipt for the payment would ensure the renewal of their licence for the next year.
