Sarawak reduces penalty for quit rent’s late payment to 5 pct

Back row, from fifth left: Ong, Juma'ani, Abang Johari, Tan, Dr Sim and others in a photo call with young performers at Chinese New Year dinner hosted by ACCCIS at Imperial Hotel, Kuching on Feb 10, 2023.

By Nur Ashikin Louis and Ling Hui

KUCHING, Feb 10: The Sarawak government has amended the penalty for late payment of quit rent from 50 per cent to five per cent.

Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the quit rent penalty was among the matters he had discussed with Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sarawak (ACCCIS).

“For quit rent, I asked the director of Sarawak Land and Survey Department (LANDAS) and Deputy Premier Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian to engage with you (ACCCIS), just to explain (the situation), and that we have amended the penalty.

“The penalty is normally 50 per cent, but now I said ‘don’t’ (sic), only 5 per cent based on compounded rate.

“In other words, if you pay late, it is not 50 per cent, only 5 per cent but (based on) compounded (rate),” he said during the Chinese New Year (CNY) dinner hosted by ACCCIS at Imperial Hotel here earlier tonight.

Meanwhile, Abang Johari announced the chanelling of RM500,000 to ACCCIS for the association to train their young entrepreneurs.

“As I promised ACCCIS, tonight I’m going to give you RM500,000 for your fund to train young entrepreneurs.

“I give half a million, because we have (almost) RM12 billion (revenue from 2022), so we share a bit.

“You work hard, build our economy, and try to get more revenue for Sarawak, and then we can share the profit,” he added.

Amongst those present were Premier’s wife Puan Sri Datuk Amar Juma’ani Tuanku Bujang; Deputy Premier Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian and wife Datin Sri Enn Ong; Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Kuching, Xing Wei Ping; Consul General of Brunei Darussalam in Kuching, Noni Zurainah Ismi; Sarawak Financial Secretary Dato Sri Dr Wan Lizozman Wan Omar; Deputy State Secretary (Economic Planning & Development) Datu Dr Muhammad Abdullah Zaidel; Deputy State Secretary (Administration) Datu Buckland Bangik; Deputy State Secretary (Operation) Datu Hii Chang Kee; ACCCIS president Dato Tan Jit Kee; and Sarawak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) president-cum-Sarawak Business Federation (SBF) president Dato Sri Abang Abdul Karim Tun Openg. ― DayakDaily