GEORGE TOWN: Penang MCA has set up an action committee to help landowners affected by the recent quit rent increase file appeals and coordinate follow-up action.
Penang MCA chairman Datuk Tan Teik Cheng said the hike raised concerns among many, including orchard owners.
Tan, who is also a national party vice president, said the hike came at a time when the people were still grappling with an economy that had yet to fully recover, along with rising agricultural production costs and persistently high labour and raw material prices.
"Any additional burden would further squeeze landowners' margins, seriously affecting rural economies and agricultural development," he said during the party's Chinese New Year celebration here on Sunday (Feb 22).
Tan said orchard owners are not only a vital pillar of the local economy but also the foundation of rural social stability and sustainable agricultural growth.
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"When formulating policies that affect livelihoods and industry development, the government should uphold the principles of empathy and gradual implementation, and avoid hastily introducing far-reaching tax hikes without sufficient consultation and reasonable transitional mechanisms," he said.
He said the Penang MCA liaison committee appointed publicity bureau deputy head Ong Theng Soon to lead the action committee.
"The committee would collect feedback and data on the impact of the hike, engage with the relevant authorities to review or postpone its implementation or introduce relief measures, and take lawful and orderly action if necessary to safeguard the landowners' rights.
"This initiative is not about confronting the government, but about making reasonable appeals.
"It is not driven by emotion, but grounded in facts, data and real conditions.
"A mature and responsible government must listen to the people and provide necessary safeguards and buffers for vulnerable groups," he added.
Ong said the committee would ensure that smallholders' concerns are conveyed to the state government and the relevant decision-making authorities.
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"We will urge the state government to review the rate of increase, postpone its implementation, or introduce exemption and relief mechanisms specifically for smallholders in order to ease their tax burden.
"If necessary, we will take lawful, rational and orderly action to safeguard the legitimate rights of smallholders, and to ensure that the policy-making process adheres to principles of fairness and social justice," he said.
In September, the state government reviewed the quit rent rate and reclassified rural to urban land throughout Penang, with hikes ranging from 29% to 200% for nearly 370,000 land titles, following a review overdue for more than 30 years.
The implementation of the new quit rent rates cover various land categories and uses, including residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural and other special categories.
The total number of land titles involved in the quit rent review is 378,329, while the total number involved in the reclassification of land from rural to urban is 221,134.
The new rates came into effect this year, with a 50% rebate provided.
