Tax cuts, financial help for owners of gazetted buildings and sites

Sunday Star  8/02/2004  BY DALILAH IBRAHIM

KUALA LUMPUR: Owners of heritage buildings and sites will get tax deductions and financial aid from the Government following proposed amendments to the Town and Country Planning Act, 1976, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said.

Ong said the amendments, which are expected to be passed by Parliament next month, would also see the setting up of the Heritage Fund and a National Heritage Board to assist the Government in preserving old buildings and sites.

“Apart from financial aid that can be obtained from the fund, owners will also be given other incentives such as tax deductions and other assistance from the state government,” he said at a press conference after attending his ministry’s Chinese New Year celebration at Pusat Bandar Damansara here yesterday.

His wife Datin Seri Wendy Ong also attended the function.

Ong said owners of buildings and sites that have architectural, historical, artistic or cultural values could discuss with local planning authorities to determine whether their buildings or sites should be gazetted and declared a heritage.


It was not fair to owners if they could not afford to develop their heritage buildings and the Government did not allow the structures to be torn down, he said, adding that the amendments would also protect the interest of the owners.

However, he said, the amendments would include a RM1mil fine or five years’ jail for those who broke the laws on the preservation and protection of heritage buildings and sites.

“The amendments will ensure that no one can simply tear down a building, especially if it has been gazetted.

“We cannot measure our land in monetary terms. We have to also measure it for the historical and cultural values it possesses,” he said.

Ong said the heritage board would play an important role in advising the Government in preserving and protecting heritage buildings and sites in the peninsula.

He added that the board would also be responsible to assist local authorities to identify, declare, manage and protect such buildings and sites.

The amendments, he said, would cover all states in the peninsula, except Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.

“Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Sabah and Sarawak have their own laws on preservation of heritage buildings and sites,” he added.

Under the proposed amendments, a building or a site is defined as a “special heritage interest” if it has architectural, historical, artistic or cultural value; or if it has a strong association with a person or community; or if it has scientific or geological value.

On another matter, Ong said he was pleased with the performance of the House Buyers’ Claims Tribunal, which was able to decide on 61 out of 64 cases in three days.

”This shows that the tribunal is effective,” he added.