KUCHING, Dec 30 — The state Land and Survey Department today clarified that the new quit rent rates in Sarawak, effective on January 1 next year, will not be more than 100 per cent from the present rates.

Its director Datuk Abdullah Julaihi, in a statement, dismissed claims by Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen yesterday that the new rates have jumped by between 400 per cent and 700 per cent.

By way of example, he said the new rate of quit rent for grade one shophouses will increase from the current RM1.08 per square metre to RM1.62 per square metre, or an increase of 50 per cent.

He added for grade two shophouses, the new rate is RM1.08 per square metre from the current RM0.81 per square metre, an increase of 33 per cent, while for grade three shophouses, the new rate is RM0.54 per square metre from RM0.27 per square metre, an increase of 100 per cent.

Abdullah said for the use of landed properties by other commercial activities, ports, mining and mineral, the rates of increase are from 20 per cent to 81 per cent per square metre.

He said the quit rent for use of landed properties by industries has increased from 25 per cent to 60 per cent per square metre.

"Therefore, the claims and calculations saying the increase in the new quit rent rates to between 400 per cent and 700 per cent are inaccurate and misleading.

"In fact, the quit rent revision also involves a reduction in quit rent rates of between 7 per cent and 20 per cent for some specific land uses,” he said.

"Besides, the increases in the rates only involved 8 per cent or 59,710 out of 734,388 registered landed properties used for commercial, industries, offices and recreation,” Abdullah said.

He said 92 per cent or 674,678 landed properties owned by Sarawakians are not subjected to quit rent payment.

He added the new rates of quit rent in Kuching are among the lowest in Malaysia with reference to major cities such as Kuala Lumpur, Shah Alam, Ipoh, George Town and Johor Baru.

He said the commercial quit rent rate in Kuala Lumpur is RM4.60 per square metre, Shah Alam (RM3.30), Ipoh (RM3.08), George Town (RM2.58) and Johor Baru (RM2.16).