Answer for Oral Question PL121

QUESTION

Yang Berhormat Pengiran Haji Isa bin Pengiran Haji Aliuddin

YANG BERHORMAT PENGIRAN HAJI ISA BIN PENGIRAN HAJI ALIUDDIN asked the MINISTER OF DEVELOPMENT to state the plans to improve the land tax collection process for houses under the RPN and STKRJ schemes?

ANSWER

Yang Berhormat Menteri Pembangunan

The Ministry of Development, through the Land Department, constantly ensures that participants of the National Housing Scheme, including RPN and STKRJ, understand and fulfil their responsibility to pay land tax every year, as provided under the Land Code (Chapter 40). An initial briefing on the responsibility to pay land tax, once the title has been registered in their names, is also provided to participants during the house-balloting and key handover process. In addition, a Notification Letter is issued to explain the land tax payable as soon as the title registration has been completed, as an official reminder to the participants.

As part of the efforts to improve the process, the following measures have also been implemented to collect land tax, namely:-

i. Notifications and reminder notices through Official Social Media and Official Media, such as the Land Department’s official social media account, @jabatantanah.bn, including news broadcasts on Radio Television Brunei, radio stations and local newspapers.

ii. Online Checking Facility – Participants can check their updated land tax arrears every month through the Land Department’s official website at www.land.gov.bn, to facilitate prompt payment.

iii. Online Payment Access Facility – The Land Department has also provided access for online payment of land tax through the BIBD Mobile application.