Places of worship and schools to pay only RM1 - The Star

By Wani Muthiah and Edward Rajendra

SHAH ALAM: All registered places of worship and schools in Selangor will soon no longer pay quit rent and assessment rates. Instead, they will be charged a token annual fee of RM1.

Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said this would allow places of worship to channel funds for their own activities while schools would no longer be bogged down by fund-raising work.

The decision was made at the state exco meeting yesterday.

Former Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo had three months ago waived close to RM500,000 in quit rent arrears owed by vernacular schools, to allow them to concentrate on education activities.

Klang Valley Taoism Association chairman Yeoh Choo Beng, 59, said the RM1 nominal fee for places of worship showed the caring approach of the new government.

Former Sree Selvavinayagar Temple chairman N.P. Raman lauded the move, while proposing that 100-year-old Hindu temples be gazetted as heritage buildings.

[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/3/27/nation/20760843&sec=nation]