GEORGE TOWN, April 26, 2026 — Former Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has criticised the state’s implementation of the 2026 quit rent revision, claiming that agreed relief measures for homes in traditional kampungs and new villages are not being properly applied at the local level.
In a video statement posted on X today, Lim stressed that quit rent for residential homes in these areas should be charged a flat rate of RM50 per standard lot, instead of the revised RM0.70 per square metre rate.
“Quit rent in Penang for homes in traditional kampungs or new villages should be charged a std lot RM50 not at RM0.70 per sq meter. But yet policy is not implemented down in detail at the local level requiring exhausting & time wasting appeals by landowners for each & every case,” he wrote.
Speaking in Mandarin in the accompanying video, Lim clarified that the special rate is meant for old village-style homes and not for newer brick structures. He said he had reached a consensus with current Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow on the matter, but land and mines department officials had failed to conduct proper on-site inspections and case reviews.
“Problems arise because land office officials have not truly gone to look,” he said in the video, adding that this has forced affected families to pay significantly higher amounts and go through lengthy appeal processes.
The comments come more than three months after the controversial 2026 quit rent revision took effect on January 1. It marked Penang’s first major update in over 30 years, with new rates set at RM0.70 per sq m for urban land and RM0.50 per sq m for rural land. While the state government has introduced rebates (including a 50% rebate for 2026 in some cases) and reclassified certain lands to ease the burden, many landowners — especially in traditional villages — have complained about implementation issues and the need for individual appeals.
Lim had previously highlighted extreme cases of quit rent hikes during the March public debate, prompting DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke to intervene and urge both Lim and Chow to resolve differences internally. Public criticism was paused pending a meeting, but today’s statement indicates ongoing ground-level problems persist.
A flat RM50 per lot rate has already been applied to schools, temples, churches, cemeteries, and charitable organisations. Lim is now pushing for the same concession to be extended properly to long-standing residential homes in kampungs and new villages to protect ordinary homeowners.
Landowners facing difficulties are reminded to verify their assessments through the PgLAND portal and submit appeals at the nearest District and Land Office before the April 30 deadline.
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